Theodore’s gloomy morning improves when he finds a penny that brings him luck all day long.
Or at least that’s what he believes. It’s hard to imagine anything bringing down Borden’s mostly upbeat, positive protagonist. He compliments his mother, celebrates the sun, is happy to see his favorite bus driver, Slim, and believes his school’s the best in the world. And things do go right for him: he’s the calendar helper, has his poem read aloud, dominates at tetherball, and is the line leader—and that’s just the morning. On the bus, after a chat with Slim about luck, Theodore secretly leaves the penny in a spot where Slim is sure to find it. “Theodore had found his own luck in a shiny penny…enough to give to a friend…and enough for tomorrow, too.” While kids may not be able to relate to the effervescent Theodore or ever imagine a day as good as his, those new to school may be comforted by the depicted routines of his day in kindergarten. Godbout’s colored-pencil illustrations reflect the wide range of emotions children experience during the school day, and readers who look closely are sure to be rewarded by small, humorous details, though her rosy-cheeked and -nosed characters might take some getting used to.
There’s a little luck in each person’s day; here’s hoping young children’s eyes are open to theirs. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-1394-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: May 6, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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Grammy-winning, multiplatinum singer/songwriter Rowland teams up with California teacher McKay to celebrate busy moms.
This picture book highlights a mother’s frequent longing to be with her child when life’s demands pull them apart. The story takes us through a busy Black mom’s week: She goes to work (at a construction site where she appears to be an engineer), works from home on her son’s sick day, takes him to a museum, and shares domestic duties with her Black male partner, who is a nurse. She encounters many bumps in the road that will be familiar to working parents. Each day, she gently reassures her son with a lyrical refrain: “Always with you, / Always with me, / Mommy and child / Together we’ll be.” This tender story, narrated in the voice of a mother addressing her child, pulls at the heartstrings. Liem’s digital artwork uses a warm palette and has a calming quality. The characters’ body language and heartfelt facial expressions are spot-on. This book will resonate with any mom who knows the heartache of having to say goodbye to their child or who has faced the teary-eyed frustration of a youngster experiencing separation anxiety. Young readers, on the other hand, will find solace in the reassuring narrative. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An honest look at motherhood in the contemporary era and a sweet tribute to the bond between mother and child. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: April 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-46551-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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Young Jabari decides today is the day he is going to jump from the diving board, even though it’s a little high and a little scary.
Jabari’s father and baby sister accompany him to the swimming pool in the city, where Jabari has already made up his mind about today’s goal: jumping off the diving board. “I’m a great jumper,” he says, “so I’m not scared at all.” But that’s not entirely true. Readers see Jabari play the waiting game as the other children (a diverse bunch) make their ways past him in line. Once Jabari finally begins to climb up, he slyly remembers that he forgot to “stretch.” The stalling techniques don’t faze his dad, who sees an opportunity for a life lesson. “It’s okay to feel a little scared,” offers his dad at the side of the pool. With renewed will, Jabari returns to the towering diving board, ready to embrace the feat. In her debut, Cornwall places her loving black family at the center, coloring the swimming pool and park beyond in minty hues and adding whimsy with digitally collaged newspaper for skyscrapers. A bird’s-eye view of Jabari’s toes clinging to the edge of the diving board as he looks way, way down at the blue pool below puts readers in his head and in the action.
This simple and sincere tale of working up courage to face fears makes quite a splash. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 9, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7838-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 6, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS
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