Well-meaning and cute but ultimately slight.
A wee, willful penguin learns a valuable lesson on false assumptions—and friendship.
Penguins Percy and Posy warn their pal Plip to finish his fish snack so that Wal-the-Wump won’t snap it up. Plip pooh-poohs this notion, dismissing Wal-the-Wump as just a grumpy old walrus. The trio takes a refreshing swim, with Plip careful to keep his favorite toy, a cloth caterpillar that he calls Sockybug, from getting wet. After the swim, they play Wal-the-Wump games, pretending to be the big creature, until it’s time for a nap—but where’s Sockybug? All the penguins search high and low for the little toy, but there’s not a sign of Sockybug. Snow clouds gather, and the sky grows dark. It’s time to go home, but Plip won’t: “He’s my friend.” Suddenly remembering where he left Sockybug, Plip slides down a snowy hill, with Percy and Posy in hot pursuit. They run smack into Wal-the-Wump, so enormous that he takes up two pages of the book, turned sideways! Wal flashes his giant teeth and lets out a hearty “Ho, ho, ho!” Before long, all three penguins are romping with their huge new friend, and Plip makes each his own Sockybug. The story takes quite a long time to get to where it’s going, with little action to keep readers engaged. The illustrations are genial, if generic.
Well-meaning and cute but ultimately slight. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-62370-116-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Nov. 30, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2013
Affirming and empowering; a story that will resonate with many children and a lot of adults, too.
The first day of school is always hard—especially when your classmates can’t say your name.
Mirha is excited about her first day, raring to learn and play. But to her disappointment, she feels that she doesn’t quite fit in because her classmates and some of her teachers can’t pronounce her name correctly. When Mirha confesses to Mama that it might just be easier to change her name, her mother tells her why her name is special. Armed with this knowledge, Mirha decides to take action the very next day. Featuring wide-eyed, adorable youngsters, Syed’s illustrations are endearing, and the text is thought-provoking yet fun. As Mirha struggles to explore her many feelings, there’s plenty of space for empathy and giggles. In the same vein as Juana Martinez-Neal’s Alma and How She Got Her Name,this book celebrates a child’s unique identity while conveying the message that getting other people’s names right is important. Syed recognizes that it can be daunting but rewarding to speak up if one’s name is mispronounced—and that it becomes easier over time. Mirha and her family are brown-skinned and cued as South Asian; her classmates are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Affirming and empowering; a story that will resonate with many children and a lot of adults, too. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-40517-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
Both perfect for Lola fans and likely to earn her ever more readers.
After years of everyday joys with McQuinn and Beardshaw’s Lola, readers now watch her start school.
It “will be a bit like story time at the library, but Lola will stay by herself.” The little black girl “knows what to expect” because she’s visited the school with her mom. She is prepared with gifts from loved ones—“fun pencils” from Nana, a water bottle from Ty. The night before her “big day,” Lola lays out her outfit. In the morning, she tucks her stuffed kitty, Dinah, in her bag and poses for a snapshot. In the classroom, Miss Suzan, a white woman, shows her where to put her things. Lola spends time reading with her friend Julia, who has pale skin and black hair, and then they play dress-up. Her mom sits for a while before saying goodbye. After snack time and more play, there is circle time. Of course, “Lola knows the song and all the motions.” Picking Lola up at the end of the day, Mommy hugs her daughter. Beardshaw’s soft, slightly smudgy illustrations allow young readers to focus on one cozy moment at a time. Even at this milestone, Lola still appears quite tiny, and the text is no more complex than in previous books, making this a seamless transition from Lola’s younger days to her new life in school.
Both perfect for Lola fans and likely to earn her ever more readers. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-58089-938-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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