Vague, slapdash reassurances to readers growing up in a worrisome world.
Simple comforts for young fretters and overthinkers.
Recycling themes and even some images from The I'm Not Scared Book (2011), Parr first enumerates a selective list of things that can cause anxiety (fears of the dark or of having to go to the doctor, having too much to do, being bullied) and times that worrying can happen. The latter include lying awake in bed, watching TV, "looking at screens too much" (a frazzled-looking person holds a tablet), and overhearing "bad news"—exemplified with an image of a flying saucer, travelers from abroad (of one sort or another) being much on people's minds these days. He then goes on to general coping strategies ranging from taking deep breaths to visiting friends, dancing, squeezing a toy, or just thinking about "everyone who loves and takes care of you!" "Worrying doesn't help you," he concludes, but talking about concerns will. Readers searching for books that address deeper-seated anxiety might be better served by Me and My Fear, by Francesca Sanna (2018). In Parr's thick-lined, minimally detailed illustrations, the artist employs his characteristic technique of adding blue, purple, and bright yellow to the palette of skin tones; he also occasionally switches out human figures for dogs or cats behaving as people would. It's a strategy, though it leaves the cast with a generic look overall.
Vague, slapdash reassurances to readers growing up in a worrisome world. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: June 18, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-316-50668-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lovely way to help readers unpack their emotions, good and bad.
Feelings, high and low, big and small, make us who we are.
Two siblings, each with pale skin and dark hair, experience a roller-coaster ride of emotions as they go through their day. At the beach, one sibling is afraid of jumping between rocks until they decide to be brave and give it a try. When the pair fly a kite into the woods, it gets snagged on a tree, disappointing one sibling and prompting the other to offer comfort. Doing a funny dance to combat boredom, being kind to one another during times of sadness or loneliness, managing one’s anger—these siblings find ways to help each other through experiences that will feel familiar to little ones. In the end, being together and feeling loved are the right antidotes. Stansbie’s gentle, humorous, and insightful rhymes and near-perfect meter provide concise, genuine descriptions of what these emotions feel and look like for children. Paganelli’s bright, eye-catching illustrations cleverly layer in a simple narrative that encourages deeper conversations between children and their grown-ups. The bold palette and attention to detail invite readers to look again and again to find the family pup on most spreads along with many other tiny elements. A guide at the end offers suggestions on coping with emotional ups and downs in healthy, communicative ways. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lovely way to help readers unpack their emotions, good and bad. (guide to emotions) (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56891-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Nov. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
Although listeners will relate to the difficulty of waiting as presented in Schwartz’s straightforward plot, there is not...
Periodically, a publishing season yields titles on a common theme. This year, coincidentally, three artists explore dimensions of waiting.
Schwartz depicts three impatient preschoolers who are helpfully distracted by other characters. Headings create five segments within the longish text. William enjoys riddles; he drops clues to neighbors, whose silly guesses pass the time until Papa arrives. Anxious Annie rattles off reasons (to Puppy) why Eddie probably doesn’t like her anymore. Then he appears, wondering where she’d been. Thomas helps Grandma choose names for a new sister—until a brother is presented. Cheerful gouache and ink vignettes in a plethora of colorful patterns against a white background carry the flavor of a bygone era: wash hangs outside, batter is licked while baking, a child waits on a porch stoop. After group play, William “can’t wait” until tomorrow. By contrast, Kevin Henkes’ Waiting (2015) celebrates the joy in the moments themselves—the serendipity and sense of community with others who are present. In Antoinette Portis’ Wait (2015), a child repeatedly urges his mother to stop (and look)—with manifold rewards. Both titles feature spare text and rich visual narratives motivating readers to draw their own conclusions—and return.
Although listeners will relate to the difficulty of waiting as presented in Schwartz’s straightforward plot, there is not more to glean. Henkes and Portis offer deeper pleasures in more succinct packages. (Picture book. 4-5)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8231-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
