Surreal, wacky, and peppered with just a hint of danger. (Picture book. 6-10)
Routine and sameness are wearing on Mr. Posey, a bespectacled, balding older man.
Mr. Posey longs to see the world as his young neighbor Andy sees it, with effervescence and possibility! He decides replacing his glasses may help and invites Andy along for the adventure. They walk through their diverse neighborhood (Mr. Posey presents white, and Andy presents black) to scour the local thrift shop for the right pair. With each set of lenses that he tries, Mr. Posey is transported into a world quite different from his own. A star-shaped pair shows him the night sky; a round pair makes him feel the world is whirling around him. Some even defy the laws of physics! In the end, after Andy points out how dirty Mr. Posey’s original glasses are, he is able to see just fine with them after all. Mr. Posey’s humdrum slump is expertly communicated through the illustrations. His bathroom waste bin overflows, his flowers droop, and a gray wash hangs over everything. Some exceptionally keen descriptors leap out of the narrative, such as the thrift shop’s “rose-petal old-shoe smell.” Though the journey in and out of the different glasses is rather formulaic, and the relationship between Mr. Posey and Andy is regrettably underdeveloped, this is still a nice representation of intergenerational friendship.
Surreal, wacky, and peppered with just a hint of danger. (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9609-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This lighthearted adventure features much-needed Hmong representation and an equally satisfying plot.
Twin Hmong American siblings lean on each other during a camping trip in this series opener.
Mosquito bites, scary bears, and an outhouse are just some of the fears keeping Astrid hidden away in a closet while her family prepares for their upcoming campout. Her supportive twin brother, Apollo, reassures her that whatever happens, they will get through it together. This early chapter book highlights the strength of sibling bonds and shows Astrid overcoming adversity in an approachable way. Her timidity and anxiety gradually decrease as she discovers the reality of camping is a lot less scary than her imagination. While the short chapters and simple sentence structure support a newly independent reader, some page layouts are disjointed, with illustrations that do not match the corresponding text. Despite this minor flaw, the cute, cartoon images showcase a gentle-feeling outdoors and the warm family connection that defines this trip. Hmong cultural elements such as names and cuisine are organically incorporated into the storyline. It’s an accessible and authentic introduction to an ethnic group rarely featured in children’s literature or mainstream popular culture. Facts about the Hmong, popular Hmong foods, a glossary, and a discussion guide are included in the backmatter.
This lighthearted adventure features much-needed Hmong representation and an equally satisfying plot. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5158-6131-7
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Picture Window Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2020
A lovely vision for small, sensitive existentialists.
Under the desert night sky, Dad helps his child find cosmic comfort.
The vast universe has made a child feel too small despite their close family. Until, the young narrator tells us, they and their father pack their old pickup, driving through the “rubber and french fries” smell of the city and the “sweet and smoky” mountain scent to camp off-road in a remote arroyo. Together they see tiny beetle prints, jump in sand dunes, name birds, build a fire, watch the sunset, and stretch out in the truck bed. A thoughtful, small human, the child admits to being scared of “how big the universe is and how it goes on and on forever.” But equally thoughtful Dad explains that stars, beetles, birds, and even people are made of energy. Angst is not easily tamed, but snuggling and giving the constellations idiosyncratic names help, as does Mom’s back-at-home surprise: glowing stars covering the narrator’s room. In this bed under the stars, this budding philosopher finally feels “at home here in the universe.” It’s a quiet, contemplative tale that might not strike a chord with all readers but will reassure those who share the protagonist’s worries. Delicate, realistic art plays warm orange and brown hues against blues from pale to indigo, balancing (living) warmth and (interstellar) distance. The child and family are light-skinned and redheaded. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lovely vision for small, sensitive existentialists. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1239-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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