Children's Reviews

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-70530-1 In rhyming text, Rajan Gopal’s picture book debut smartly explores the duality of one child’s bicultural American and Indian identity. Crown Books for Young Readers, 18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-48423-4 In this picture book adaptation of 2016’s The Book of Joy, the Nobel Peace Prize winners recall childhoods growing up “on opposite sides of the world.” Mixed-media art by López (The Year We Learned to Fly) initially evokes the specificity of the narrators’ respective homelands, soon moving into more metaphoric idyllic settings, rendered in radiant hues, that spotlight rainbow-like ribbons and are populated by a global cast of joyful children. [...]person narration follows Parker’s internal dialogue, balancing emotional turmoil with ominous, sometimes gory details, and constantly ratcheting up suspense for a fast, immersive ride.