Share this with readers who have heard loons’ calls in the wild.
Little Loon aspires to have a voice like his papa’s, long, strong, and echoing on the water.
Readers unfortunate enough to be unfamiliar with the call of a loon may miss something in this telling, as the haunting and ethereal beauty of a loon’s vocalizations doesn’t quite come through here. What do come across, however, are the chick’s persistence and fierce desire as well as the growth cycle of a loon chick. When the tale begins, Little Loon is seen in a nest, a broken egg nearby. Later he rides on Mama’s back, sliding off when she dives to catch him small fish. As the pages turn and Little Loon hears his father’s various calls—Danger! Where are you? Back off!—he practices his own vocalizations, but his “eep”s and “peep”s and “squeak”s aren’t like Papa’s. Observant readers will notice, though, that Little Loon’s feathers are changing: He’s growing up. And as the leaves change color and he takes off into the sky for the ocean, he finally is able to make an echoing call. Judging from previous scenes, however, it’s a yodel that’s written, but backmatter states that a tremolo call is the only one made while flying and that chicks can’t yodel until they are 2 years old. Shklovsky’s illustrations seem to use graphite and watercolor to create the loons and their habitat, respectively; some scenes are jarringly blurry. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Share this with readers who have heard loons’ calls in the wild. (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-951412-33-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: The Collective Book Studio
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
This warm family story is a splendid showcase for the combined talents of Medina, a Pura Belpré award winner, and Dominguez,...
Abuela is coming to stay with Mia and her parents. But how will they communicate if Mia speaks little Spanish and Abuela, little English? Could it be that a parrot named Mango is the solution?
The measured, evocative text describes how Mia’s español is not good enough to tell Abuela the things a grandmother should know. And Abuela’s English is too poquito to tell Mia all the stories a granddaughter wants to hear. Mia sets out to teach her Abuela English. A red feather Abuela has brought with her to remind her of a wild parrot that roosted in her mango trees back home gives Mia an idea. She and her mother buy a parrot they name Mango. And as Abuela and Mia teach Mango, and each other, to speak both Spanish and English, their “mouths [fill] with things to say.” The accompanying illustrations are charmingly executed in ink, gouache, and marker, “with a sprinkling of digital magic.” They depict a cheery urban neighborhood and a comfortable, small apartment. Readers from multigenerational immigrant families will recognize the all-too-familiar language barrier. They will also cheer for the warm and loving relationship between Abuela and Mia, which is evident in both text and illustrations even as the characters struggle to understand each other. A Spanish-language edition, Mango, Abuela, y yo, gracefully translated by Teresa Mlawer, publishes simultaneously.
This warm family story is a splendid showcase for the combined talents of Medina, a Pura Belpré award winner, and Dominguez, an honoree. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6900-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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