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THE WAVE

Name: THE WAVE
Author: Tyler Charlton
ISBN: 9781250842039

by Tyler Charlton ; illustrated by Tyler Charlton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2023

Helpful insights for children dealing with depression and those who care about them.

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A boy caught in a dark wave learns how to stay afloat.

Whenever the wave unexpectedly carries him away, the tan-skinned child wishes he could run away, but he can’t fight it or outrun it—“All I can do is take care of myself until it passes.” Though he feels frustrated, he tells readers that as time passes, he calms down once more. The inky black wave is a straightforward metaphor for depression; kids coping with similar feelings will find this a poignant and validating work of bibliotherapy. Charlton’s advice is simple, sound, and heartfelt but never didactic. He notes that those swept up in the wave should guard their hearts, using the term to mean not letting one’s heart harden or hurt others. The author never implies that this or other tips included here are a fix for depression, merely that they will help readers cope. The illustrations are shadowy and evocative, effectively expressing the protagonist’s helplessness and despair. This would be a helpful, reassuring read for children in the same situation as the boy as well as a discussion starter for friends, siblings, and even adults in the child’s life who may not completely understand. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Helpful insights for children dealing with depression and those who care about them. (author’s note, resources) (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023

ISBN: 9781250842039

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)