by Yu-Yen Li ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 17, 2017
A sensitive tale of loss, friendship, and courage.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
In this children’s book, a boy wonders how to help his friend, a red squirrel, when new construction threatens her home tree.
Johnny, a little boy, is happy to learn that soon, new houses will be built in his area, which could mean new friends. Going off by himself as usual one day, he notices a red squirrel who is busily gathering and eating nuts. She’s shy at first, but Johnny’s quietness builds trust, and she tells Johnny about herself. The boy admires the squirrel’s beauty and calls her Nutting for her love of nuts, her favorite food. The two become friends. Nutting learns to trust the boy, showing him her home tree, and Johnny is always careful to respect her: “She was wild but fragile. Johnny learnt to be gentle and kind. He felt he was the protector and should care for her.” One day, though, the new construction begins, and Johnny is alarmed to realize this will threaten Nutting’s home. He tries to think of a substitute that will keep her nearby. Perhaps the small playground down the road will have a good bush or tree or, failing that, the city park farther away. Though sad for Nutting, Johnny vows to keep visiting her no matter what: “Changes would come, but the two friends were determined to stay together.” Li (Philo, Our Dog, 2013) tells a sweet story tinged with melancholy, though it ends on a brave note. There is simply nothing to be done about the new construction that will destroy Nutting’s beloved home tree, and, unlike many children’s books, there is no magical or last-minute solution that can protect it. Johnny hopes to make something in his backyard out of a carved wooden stand, but his creativity founders on the reality of what squirrels need. This makes his determination to help all the more moving. Li’s softly colored, attractive illustrations effectively underline the story’s poignancy. A small quibble is Li’s unidiomatic use of “the land,” as in “a house built on one side of the land.”
A sensitive tale of loss, friendship, and courage.Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4575-5692-0
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Share your opinion of this book
More by Yu-Yen Li
BOOK REVIEW
by Yu-Yen Li
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
Google Rating
New York Times Bestseller
by Kobi Yamada ; illustrated by Natalie Russell ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2017
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
Google Rating
New York Times Bestseller
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Kobi Yamada
BOOK REVIEW
by Kobi Yamada ; illustrated by Adelina Lirius
BOOK REVIEW
by Kobi Yamada ; illustrated by Charles Santoso
BOOK REVIEW
by Kobi Yamada ; illustrated by Elise Hurst
by Josh Schneider & illustrated by Josh Schneider ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2011
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
Share your opinion of this book
More by Josh Schneider
BOOK REVIEW
by Josh Schneider ; illustrated by Josh Schneider
BOOK REVIEW
by Josh Schneider ; illustrated by Josh Schneider
BOOK REVIEW
by Josh Schneider ; illustrated by Josh Schneider
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.