A tender tale that pulls generations together.
After Nana’s funeral, Xavier and his mother clean out her attic.
Afraid of monsters or dragons, Xavier dons his bicycle helmet and grabs a wooden spoon before he, his mother, and his cat, Comet, head upstairs. They don’t find anything scary—just unusual old objects. To dispel Xavier’s sadness over Nana’s death, his mother tells him, “We’ll make sure to keep her in our stories.” As they open boxes, Xavier learns about Nana and his mother. When they find paintbrushes, his mother says that Nana was an artist. Xavier says, “I’m an artist, too.” After his mother shows him a tiny pair of shoes, he’s surprised to learn that she was once a child. Xavier finds a cloth that his mother calls a “green baby swing.” Though it may not look like a swing, Xavier’s mother sings quietly: “It isn’t a swing like a swing in the park. / It’s made out of tenderness, knotted and dark.” The full song, repeated several times, describes its “swaying motion” as it was used to lull babies to sleep, including his mom and Xavier. Children will soon be singing along and demanding a baby swing of their own. Featuring soft, muted watercolor and pencil illustrations, this gentle, understated tale about a grandparent’s passing may inspire families to share their own memories. Xavier and his mother are brown-skinned.
A tender tale that pulls generations together. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 28, 2024
ISBN: 9780735269361
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
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BOOK REVIEW
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