A fantastical romp to lasso any heart.
A Western-themed retelling of "Cinderella" starring young queer protagonists.
Cinda loves adventure, her critters, and jalapeno fritters. Not so much dresses and “adult supervision.” When her parents are eaten by a gator and Aunt Hildy shows up to take away everything else she loves, Cinda finds hope in an invitation to a contest (including racing, lassoing, and a “surprise challenge”) hosted by Ella of the rich Del Reina family. It helps that the Rider who delivers the invitation is cute and that they seem as interested in Cinda as she is in them. The day of the contest, a giant boar named Merrie Hoggmüther and a slippery snake named Slipper assist Cinda—with the caveat that Slipper must be home before sundown or she’ll get cold and grumpy enough to bite. Cinda’s love of critters carries her through the day and wins the regard of Ella, who turns out to have been the Rider the whole time, much to Cinda’s delight. With a happily-ever-after full of animals and adventure on the horizon, this story jazzes up “Cinderella” with a vibrant palette of primary colors and expressive illustrations that relate as much of the story as the text itself. Playful language and a sweet depiction of a budding queer relationship make for a fun, touching story. Cinda presents Black, while Aunt Hildy and Ella are light-skinned; the supporting cast is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A fantastical romp to lasso any heart. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9780316628372
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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