Cheerfully art-ful.
A fresh and bright sibling tale.
“I love art!” declares Louise. She’s splayed on the floor, her face smushed blissfully into pages of her own drawings. Her medium is plain pencil, and she’s prolific. “To be a great artist, you have to notice everything. / Every line…every curve….Wait—hold that pose! I will capture your cat-ness!” Her supple, sinuous black cat willingly strikes various poses, one mimicking Rodin’s The Thinker. There’s nary an adult, but Louise and her cat aren’t alone: Her little brother’s right there, worshipping her. As Louise finishes her pièce de résistance and trots to the kitchen to prepare an exhibition at the Gallery du Fridge, little bro repeatedly bids for her attention. “Not now, Art,” she temporizes—revealing for the first time the title’s double meaning—so Art putters happily behind. With Louise distracted, he uses her art to make into his own. There’s an eruption, of course, but Louise soon sees that Art’s art is all homage. Using plentiful white space, black pencil and red highlights (other colors are present but muted), Light creates breezy, witty illustrations that recall Hilary Knight’s pictures for Kay Thompson’s Eloise, especially on spreads showing one character in many positions. A recurring red double-circle—Louise’s glasses, Art’s drawing of Louise’s glasses and a scissors handle—makes a delightful visual theme to follow.
Cheerfully art-ful. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-06-224817-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series.
Another creature is on the loose.
The long-running series continues its successful formula with this Hallmark card of a book, which features bright illustrations and catchy rhymes. This time, the mythical creature the racially diverse children set out to catch is an absent mom who does it all (lists of descriptors include the words banker, caregiver, nurse, doctor, driver, chef, housekeeper, teacher, entertainer, playmate, laundry service, problem solver, handywoman, cleaner, and alarm clock) but doesn’t seem to have a job outside the home and is inexplicably a dinosaur. As the children prepare gifts and a meal for her, the text becomes an ode to the skills the Mamasaurus possesses (“Day or night she’s always there. / She meets every wish and need”) and values she instills (“Sometimes life can mean hard work,” “kindness matters,” and “what counts is doing your best”). This well-intentioned selection veers into cliche generously sprinkled with saccharine but manages to redeem itself with its appreciation for mothers and all that they may do. Endpapers include a “to” and “from” page framed in a heart, as well as a page where young gift givers or recipients can draw a picture of their Mamasaurus.
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781728274300
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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