Picture Book Review: Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall

Image: Candlewick Press

Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall. unpgd. Candlewick Press, September, 2020. 9781536207163. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Hooray! Jabari is back! This time, he has decided to invent a flying machine! He insists that he needs no help as he gathers his parts and sets up ramps and other doohickeys to launch his machine. When the launch fails, Jabari is undaunted. He even does a little book research before trying again. And again. And again. Each time, his little sister, Nike offers to help. Jabari becomes increasing frustrated as his increasingly elaborate plans go awry. 

Jabari has a loving and supportive family and though he has lost his patience, he trusts his father to point him in the right direction. This relatable and lovely windows/ mirror story belongs in every library collection. Fans of Jabari Jumps will relish seeing him again. New fans may seek out the first. I hope to see more of Jabari and his joyous family. 

FNG Review: Lucy and the String by Vanessa Roeder

Lucy and the String by Vanessa Roeder. unpgd. Dial Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Young Readers Group, August, 2018. 9780735230491.

What would you do if you saw a loose string? Tug it, of course, especially when it is such an inviting red color. What would you do if it got stuck? Yank it until it gives, of course. What you do if you encountered a grumpy, big, old bear at the end of that beautiful yarn? He's grumpy because Lucy has unraveled his beautiful red knit pants. Will our irrepressible heroine make amends? Find out when this delightful book hits the shelves in August. 

Using just three colors, Roeder has created a disarming story about how our actions have consequences and how we should find a way to fix our mistakes. Rosy-cheeked, gap-toothed and spirited, Lucy just can't resist the bright, red string, delighting in the ever-growing snarl of yarn until she hears a real snarl and discovers that she is unraveling the sweater of a huge, very unhappy bear! Hank is not happy.

Brilliant cartoonists can convey such a range of emotion with a few simple lines. In one double-page spread Lucy's rosy cheeks turn into a pink face of embarassment while Hank's red face is clearly angry. The following spots show the shifts Lucy and Hank's emotion as remorse turns to resolve. When her attempts to cheer him up do not work, she decides one hilarious fix after another.

This is one begs to be read aloud again and again. 

Full Steam Ahead by Paul A. Reynolds

Sydney & Simon: Full Steam Ahead by Paul A. Reynolds. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. 48 p. Charlesbridge, September, 2014. 9781580896757. (Finished copy courtesy of publisher for review.)

Sydney and Simon are spirited and colorful twin mice endowed with a healthy dose of inquisitiveness and a bent for problem solving. Both siblings keep a wonder journal, only Sydney's is a traditional notebook, while Simon's is a tablet. This enables him to take pictures and shoot videos while the two use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) to learn about the water cycle to try to save the wilting plants in their window box. 

The narrative moves along jauntily as the twins turn to the helpful adults in their lives who support and step back. The whimsical, energetic illustrations add appeal. A glossary of terms and note to the reader asking, "Are You a STEAM thinker?" conclude the volume, the first in a series. This is a pleasing addition to the STEAM (STEM) collection.