A sweet and simple tale imported from China.
A young boy in China finds a way to save a family’s treasured tree.
As a child, Xiaoke’s father planted a peach pit outside his family’s home. The evenly paced narration reveals that Xiaoke now considers the now-grown tree “his peach tree brother,” and both father and son visit it even though his grandparents have already passed on. On a particular Lunar New Year, Xiaoke and his father visit the village and hang good-fortune poems on the doors. One month later, they return, observing the local barbershop busy with haircuts to welcome spring according to tradition. Resisting a trim, Xiaoke flees to his father’s now-abandoned old neighborhood, realizing that all the buildings are marked for imminent demolition. Worried, Xiaoke and a stray dog stand guard over the tree, pleading with the driver of the excavator to spare his brother. The driver questions the relation, arguing, “The peach tree’s hair is neat, but yours is so messy.” Finally Xiaoke has his hair trimmed, comically in the same shape as the peach tree’s branches. Satisfied, the driver avoids the tree, and Xiaoke and his father transplant both peach tree and stray dog to their city home. The narrative is punctuated by traditional sayings, the truth of which are borne out by the end. The charmingly simple illustrations bring texture and gentleness to this quiet story. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 74.5% of actual size.)
A sweet and simple tale imported from China. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4788-6980-1
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Reycraft Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2020
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy.
Robo-parents Diode and Lugnut present daughter Cathode with a new little brother—who requires, unfortunately, some assembly.
Arriving in pieces from some mechanistic version of Ikea, little Flange turns out to be a cute but complicated tyke who immediately falls apart…and then rockets uncontrollably about the room after an overconfident uncle tinkers with his basic design. As a squad of helpline techies and bevies of neighbors bearing sludge cake and like treats roll in, the cluttered and increasingly crowded scene deteriorates into madcap chaos—until at last Cath, with help from Roomba-like robodog Sprocket, stages an intervention by whisking the hapless new arrival off to a backyard workshop for a proper assembly and software update. “You’re such a good big sister!” warbles her frazzled mom. Wiesner’s robots display his characteristic clean lines and even hues but endearingly look like vaguely anthropomorphic piles of random jet-engine parts and old vacuum cleaners loosely connected by joints of armored cable. They roll hither and thither through neatly squared-off panels and pages in infectiously comical dismay. Even the end’s domestic tranquility lasts only until Cathode spots the little box buried in the bigger one’s packing material: “TWINS!” (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 52% of actual size.)
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-544-98731-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further.
A young Latine boy finally gets to rescue the dog of his dreams, but training can be a challenge in two languages.
Like many children, José has been dreaming of having a pet of his own, specifically un perro, a dog. Like any good owner, José promptly begins training his new canine companion but soon realizes his rescue mutt, Feliz, knows only words in English. This is a problem because in José’s home everyone speaks both Spanish and English. José and Feliz must rise to the challenge; fortunately, treats and snuggles are great motivators. The narrative uses Spanish words and phrases throughout (“perros blancos,” “¡Yo quiero este!” “¡Sientate!”), usually with English context clues for understanding. This is complex vocabulary for an early reader, and the shifting in phonics from English to Spanish will be challenging for true beginners; the book is best suited for intermediate to advanced readers in dual-language classrooms or homes. Much like Feliz, however, it is sure to find a loving (and bilingual) home. Cheerful illustrations complement the text, helping readers make sense of the narrative. While José and his mother are darker-skinned, his father and sister are lighter-skinned. (This review has been updated for accuracy.)
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further. (glossary of Spanish-English words) (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-52116-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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