An all-around wonderful book that will inspire laughter and perhaps even a little dancing.
Kai lacks rhythm and, therefore, a dance nickname.
When Auntie Nina announces that she’s getting married, Kai gets to work practicing his dance moves in hopes of earning that nickname. In their African American family, Granddad gives everyone a nickname based on their electric slide dance moves. Baby sister Ava is dubbed “Baby Bounce,” big sister Myla is “Miss Boogie,” and older brother D.J. is “D.J. Groove,” but Kai has yet to receive his. He is haunted by the memory of the time he couldn’t figure out the dance moves and knocked over his little cousin. Determined to earn his nickname, Kai turns to his family for help, which they kindly provide. Despite this help, his desperation, and weeks of practice, when the big moment finally arrives, Kai slips away from the reception. What Kai doesn’t know is that his new uncle Troy is also looking forward to his dance nickname, and he convinces Kai to return to the reception, where they will earn those new nicknames together. Kai’s efforts to learn the electric slide are hilarious, making this story as much fun as the dance. The illustrations capture Kai in various states of confusion and dizziness and are sure to get giggles from readers. The underlying messages of familial closeness and perseverance serve as a foundation for the humor of the story and recall Kelly Starling Lyons and Daniel Minter’s Going Down Home With Daddy (2019).
An all-around wonderful book that will inspire laughter and perhaps even a little dancing. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64379-052-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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