This book contains pretty much what you’d expect.
Anthropomorphized woodland creatures celebrate God’s love and guidance in a child’s life.
This board book features sweet illustrations of animal caregivers expressing their love for their young alongside rhyming text that explains God’s presence in a child’s world. The pages are die cut along the top in arcs, so they look like a rainbow behind a cloud-edged cover; with each turn of the page, another layer of the rainbow is exposed. The shiny effect of the rainbow’s arches is eye-catching and will certainly appeal to young readers. Kolanovic’s illustrations are adorable if not particularly imaginative, including some sweet details, such as a baby squirrel clutching a teddy bear and a duckling joyfully splashing. Though quite charming, the panda duo feels a little out of place among all of the temperate woodland creatures. The rhyming text has a singsong feel, which makes it an easy read-aloud for adults with little lap listeners. It includes all of the usual sentiments about God in a child’s life: “He sent you from above”; he is “always in your heart”; and “Lord God will guide your way.” While familiar and comforting, these statements are also unremarkable and a bit tired. This book is a good fit for those in the Christian faith who want a traditional, formulaic book about God’s presence in a young child’s life.
This book contains pretty much what you’d expect. (Board book. 6 mos.-2)Pub Date: March 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-68010-569-8
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations.
Bergren and Bryant attempt to explain Easter to young children in a gentle, nonthreatening manner, with partial success.
When Little Cub questions her father about Easter, Papa Bear explains the religious significance of the holiday in various symbolic ways to his cub. He uses familiar things from their world, such as an egg and a fallen tree, to draw parallels with aspects of the Christian story. Papa Bear discusses his close relationships with Jesus and God, encouraging Little Cub to communicate with God on her own. The theme focuses on the renewal of life and the positive aspects of loving God and Jesus. Easter is presented as a celebration of eternal life, but the story skirts the issue of the crucifixion entirely. Some adults will find this an inadequate or even dishonest approach to the Easter story, but others will appreciate the calm and soothing text as a way to begin to understand a difficult subject. Bryant’s charming watercolor illustrations of the polar bear family, their cozy home and snowy forest scenes add to the overall mellow effect.
Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations. (Religion/picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-307-73072-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: WaterBrook
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked...
From a debut author-and-illustrator team comes a glimpse into a young American Muslim girl’s family and community as she walks around in “Mommy’s khimar,” or headscarf.
The star of this sunny picture book is a young girl who finds joy in wearing her mother’s khimar, imagining it transforms her into a queen, a star, a mama bird, a superhero. At the core of the story is the love between the girl and her mother. The family appears to be African-American, with brown skin and textured hair. The girl’s braids and twists “form a bumpy crown” under the khimar, which smells of coconut oil and cocoa butter. Adults in her life delight in her appearance in the bright yellow khimar, including her Arabic teacher at the mosque, who calls it a “hijab,” and her grandmother, who visits after Sunday service and calls out “Sweet Jesus!” as she scoops her granddaughter into her arms. Her grandmother is, apparently, a Christian, but “We are a family and we love each other just the same.” The illustrations feature soft pastel colors with dynamic lines and gently patterned backgrounds that complement the story’s joyful tone. The words are often lyrical, and the story artfully includes many cultural details that will delight readers who share the cheerful protagonist’s culture and enlighten readers who don’t.
With a universal message of love and community, this book offers a beautiful representation of a too-often-overlooked cultural group . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0059-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
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