Upcoming Spring 2024 Amicus Ink picture book by Laura Bontje and Emma Lidia Squillari has received a Kirkus review! Read the full review below or find it in the December 15th edition of Kirkus Reviews.
A romp through the neighborhood guided by wordplay.
From kayak and racecar to her very own name, Hannah finds palindromes wherever she goes. While she’s engaging in imaginative play one day, her “radar” goes off and she encounters a boy named Adam who has lost his beloved cat, Otto. Hannah and Adam embark on a quest for his missing feline while encountering palindromes along the way. After an ebullient search, they finally find their “taco cat” (Otto is gobbling tacos up by a dumpster), and Hannah and Adam further embrace their palindromic spirit by retracing their steps back home. All palindromes used in the text are highlighted in bold, making them easy to identify for those young readers still grasping the concept. Astute readers will notice Otto hiding in many spreads, along with a yellow line throughout the watercolor illustrations representing the path taken by the kitty as well as the eventual journey taken on by the two wordsmiths. Warm pink, tan, and green tones add to the coziness of the story. Those looking to use this as a read-aloud might want to pre-read beforehand, since some of the palindromes are awkwardly placed to accommodate their usage (“race fast, safe car”). Both protagonists read as white.
Budding palindrome enthusiasts will want to put this on their radar and make more than a peep along the way. (Picture book. 4-7)