A young boy learns to expand his sense of wonder.
When Elliot leaves to go to school one rainy morning, he’s surprised to see his new neighbor, an irrepressibly cheerful girl, skipping and jumping behind him. When Elliot questions what she is doing, she patiently explains, “I’m trying to avoid these portal puddles, of course. And you should, too. You never know where you might end up.” She spins a fantastical yarn about how she was transported to Capt. Blackbeard’s ship the last time she stepped in one. The next day, she spies the pebble Elliot is kicking and declares it must be a shrunken space ship, filled with tiny ET’s. Elliot rolls his eyes, but he can’t help thinking about those space travelers throughout the day. As the week goes on, Ruby’s tales grow, and so does Elliot’s curiosity. Mundane objects like a piece of newspaper, a fallen branch, and a stinky garbage can unleash wild, inventive stories—with Elliot finally joining in. Wavy-edged pictorial thought balloons depict the imagined adventures while real life occurs in full-bleed images with generous white space. Sanchez cleverly portrays Ruby and Elliot with large, off-kilter heads and expressive eyes, which makes one speculate about the many stories filled to the brim inside. Diversity is only found in the background; both protagonists present white, though Elliot is a smidge darker than Ruby.
Imaginative play at its most fun. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68010-192-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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Both beautiful and inspiring as graduation gift or guide to life.
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An inspirational picture book offers life advice for readers who want to be themselves.
Replete with sparkling, often quirky illustrations of children living their best lives, this book is a gorgeous guidebook for those seeking encouragement while encountering life’s challenges. The children featured—a racially diverse group ranging from infants to preschoolers—cheerfully navigate the various injunctions that flow through the text: “Be curious.…Be adventurous.…Be persistent.…Be kind.” What is remarkable about the book is that even though the instructions and the brief sentences explaining them are at times vague, the illustrations expand on them in ways readers will find endearing and uplifting. Those depicting painful or challenging moments are especially effective. The “Be persistent” double-page spread shows a child in a boat on stormy seas; it’s rich with deep blues as it emphasizes the energy of wind and rain and struggle in the face of challenge. Together with the accompanying repeated phrase “Keep going, never stop. Keep going, never stop. Keep going, never stop,” this spread arrests readers. By contrast, the “Be kind. Be understanding” spread simply presents two children’s faces, one cast in blue and the other in gold, but the empathy that Reynolds conveys is similarly captivating. While there is no plot to pull readers through the pages, the book provides rich fodder for caregivers to use as teachable moments, both informally and in classroom settings.
Both beautiful and inspiring as graduation gift or guide to life. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-57231-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 24, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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