Mini Reviews [21]

A Flicker of Hope by Julia Cook, 

MacKenzie Haley (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): HOPE is our children's window for a better tomorrow. In terms of resilience and well-being, hope is a critically important predictor of success. This creative story from the best-selling author of My Mouth is a Volcano!, and Bubble Gum Brain, reminds children that dark clouds can be temporary and asking for help is always okay. We all have times when we need to borrow a little hope from someone else. When your clouds get too dark, and too heavy to push away, Reach out and ask, "Can I borrow some light?" "I'm having a really bad day."

It's always okay to admit to yourself, "I just can't do it today."

Everyone needs somebody sometimes, to help them find their way.

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I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product. 

A Flicker of Hope is a children's book, although I think the writing is for an older audience. It might be a good teaching book, but it didn't really work reading it one-on-one with my son. I always ask him what he thinks about a book when we finish, and what he enjoyed most about the story. The only thing he could really say about A Flicker of Hope was that he liked the candles, and wanted to know why his birthday candles didn't die when their flames went out.

In the book, one of the candles is feeling sad and having negative thoughts, so her candle is dimmed and dull. Another candle comes along to give her hope, which effectively brightens her light. However, the other candle starts talking about everyone having gifts, and how candles without a light are no longer able to share theirs. It was a good lesson in personification, but the deeper messages were lost on him.

I think A Flicker of Hope addresses important issues about depression and touches on mental illness, encouraging people to ask for help when they feel down, but it doesn't mention someone needing more than a friend. Yes, you should continue to ask for help, but sometimes that's not enough. Maybe the book could have encouraged readers to seek medical help? Also, essentially telling a person not to kill themselves, or let themselves die because they have "gifts to share", might not be the best approach. A person having negative thoughts and feelings is likely unconcerned with what they have to offer the world. 

I believe the wording was too wordy at times, and the story wasn't presented in a way that younger children would easily comprehend. I think a few of the pages could have been removed (like when the second candle essentially repeated everything the first candle said at the beginning), and the story could have been simplified for its target audience.

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Ida and the Whale by Rebecca Gugger,

Simon Rothlisberger (Illustrator)

Expected publication: April 2nd 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): What lies behind the sun, the moon, and the stars?

Ida can’t stop thinking about these and other very important questions. Then one night, a flying whale wakes her and takes her on an amazing journey—where some of her questions are answered and even more created.

This gentle, philosophical tale is a visual treat sure to fill curious little listeners with wonder. 

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I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product. 

The illustrations were lovely! I think Simon Röthlisberger did an amazing job bringing Rebecca Gugger's words to life. The story felt a little random and nonsensical, but there were a few memorable moments. The whale takes Ida on an incredible journey, and shares bits of wisdom along the way. "Some quicker, some slower, but all of us grow." I thought it was an enjoyable story that my children could understand and relate to. However, now my son wants a whale to show up at his window to take him on an adventure!

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Shhh! by Barroux

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Night falls…It is late. Close your eyes. Time to sleep. This wonderful bedtime story from the masterful illustrator Barroux takes you on a journey through a child’s imagination to a series of dreamy landscapes where animals ready themselves for sleep. The simple, lyrical text and charming illustrations will gently lull even the most reluctant sleeper, providing a calming way for parents to say goodnight.

Listen to the world gently slowing down, then stopping. A whimsical moon character tiptoes to the sky. Shhh! A boy imagines his stuffed animals winding down for bedtime, one by one. Visit a dozing polar bear on an ice floe; a lion in pajamas brushing his teeth; tired giraffes resting their sleepy heads on clouds; a whale singing a soft, beautiful song; a whispering elephant; a yawning hippo; a toucan counting sheep; and finally, the sheep themselves, who are waiting for the end of the story. Time to sleep now. It is late.

With gently humorous text and enchanting imagery that will soothe both little ones and their adults, this bedtime story will quickly become a family favorite.

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I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

The synopsis for Shhh! is longer than the actual book. It's also a little misleading, because it didn't soothe me or my children. They were still bananas after reading this story, although they did enjoy it. My daughter liked pointing out the animals and making their sounds, while my son thought it was funny to see a lion brushing its teeth. 

However, the story felt choppy and didn't flow from page to page. There were very few words, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I felt disconnected from the overall story. It was just me turning pages and saying words, instead of feeling like we were a part of the story.