A gorgeous tale brimming with friendship, love, and touches of humor.
Two young neighbors upend a reserved elder’s tranquil life.
Han is introduced as “mostly ornery. That’s another word for grumpy.” Then Kate and Olly move in; the youngsters are “curious and loquacious. That’s another word for talkative.” Though Han tries to avoid the kids, eventually they meet, much to his discomfort. Using soft colors textured with simple lines and deftly blended shadows exuding warmth and charm, Phuong presents humorous, cartoonish scenes of the kids invading Han’s space. Eventually Kate and Olly ask about a picture of Han’s late wife, Lan; seeing his sadness, they perform small acts of kindness that artfully chip away at his hard exterior. After the children ask Han about his favorite food, he makes them an offer: He’ll prepare his beloved pho (which he used to make with Lan) if Kate and Ollie can find the ingredients. The kids rise to the occasion, and a comforting montage of cooking scenes ensues. Kate brings Lan’s picture to the table, and, over time, Han’s world expands to envelop the larger community. Presented in a mix of speech bubbles and narrative text, Krans’ prose is spare yet intimate; the author trusts readers to fill in the quiet spaces of the story. The children are pale-skinned; Han is East Asian (references to pho suggest he’s of Vietnamese descent).
A gorgeous tale brimming with friendship, love, and touches of humor. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780063334915
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child...
Imani endures the insults heaped upon her by the other village children, but she never gives up her dreams.
The Masai girl is tiny compared to the other children, but she is full of imagination and perseverance. Luckily, she has a mother who believes in her and tells her stories that will fuel that imagination. Mama tells her about the moon goddess, Olapa, who wins over the sun god. She tells Imani about Anansi, the trickster spider who vanquishes a larger snake. (Troublingly, the fact that Anansi is a West African figure, not of the Masai, goes unaddressed in both text and author’s note.) Inspired, the tiny girl tries to find new ways to achieve her dream: to touch the moon. One day, after crashing to the ground yet again when her leafy wings fail, she is ready to forget her hopes. That night, she witnesses the adumu, the special warriors’ jumping dance. Imani wakes the next morning, determined to jump to the moon. After jumping all day, she reaches the moon, meets Olapa and receives a special present from the goddess, a small moon rock. Now she becomes the storyteller when she relates her adventure to Mama. The watercolor-and-graphite illustrations have been enhanced digitally, and the night scenes of storytelling and fantasy with their glowing stars and moons have a more powerful impact than the daytime scenes, with their blander colors.
While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child to be admired. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-934133-57-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Mackinac Island Press
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014
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