Middle grade readers who enjoy moral certitude and implausible, heartfelt adventures will appreciate Raúf’s well-intentioned effort to address the issue of domestic violence.
The booming young chapter book market has space for more sci-fi and an eternal appetite for school stories; this series kickoff will satisfy many burgeoning readers.
Pottle, who was born deaf in both ears, makes an energetic case for positive and imaginative representation of disability but it gets muddled by missteps.
An optional purchase; dedicated seekers of STEM-related picture books might tolerate this astronomy-entomology crossover, but will have to go elsewhere for clarity of purpose.
This evocative pairing of story and art creates a tone poem and lesson, a lovely reflection on the seasons of life, and a gentle lead-in to discussion of death and renewal.