A vibrantly illustrated story of determination and grit.
One African girl grows up to change the world in this tale inspired by the real-life experiences of co-author Badiel, a fashion model and philanthropist.
Georgie, or Princess Gie Gie—introduced in 2016’s The Water Princess—has a fire in her belly. Her kingdom? “The black velvet sky. The dusty earth. My magnificent African village.” But the women and girls of her Burkina Faso community must walk miles each day to obtain water—a time-consuming task that keeps the girls from attending school. Gie Gie grows “tall and lovely, brave and wise”; she enters beauty pageants, eventually becoming Miss Burkina Faso. She travels to Paris, where water is plentiful, and begins speaking out about her village and connecting with others who built wells in their own homelands. At last, her hopes become reality as builders come to her village to build a well. Gie Gie narrates with a mixture of optimism, courage, and occasional uncertainty; backmatter includes information on her foundation, created in 2015 to bring water to communities in need. Reynolds’ signature whimsical, fluid illustrations clearly contrast the orange, red, and brown palette of the dry Burkina Faso landscape against the lush blues and greens of Paris. When the well brings water, the colors shifts to blues, greens, and yellows. Reynolds also strategically depicts characters in silhouette, as when Gie Gie grows from child to woman and when adult Georgie pumps water for another little girl; the effect is striking and cinematic.
A vibrantly illustrated story of determination and grit. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217238958
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
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