2021-03-08 Publishers Weekly

BOOKLIFE.COM 73

PICTURE BOOKS

Avocado the Turtle:

The One and Only

Kiara Shankar and Vinay Shankar |

VIKI Publishing

44p, ebook, $4.99, ISBN 978-1-950-

26333-2

In this uplifting tale of

personal acceptance, a bois-

terous turtle, rejected by her

peers, finds a new group of

friends by being herself.

Avocado was born different

from the other turtles around

her: Her name is peculiar, her

extroversion pushes others away, and her attempts at conver-

sation fall flat—turtles prefer to hide in their shells. When her

community chooses to banish her, she responds by finally

trying to conform to their standards, hiding inside her own

shell. But a chance encounter with a new group of friends, who

like her exactly as she is teaches her the power of owning her

uniqueness.

Avantika Mishra’s illustrations add a 3D pop and a welcome

splash of color, capturing the emotions of Avocado’s banish-

ment, her period of exile, and her happy life with her newfound

friends. The lushly colored backgrounds, cute animals, and

appealing nature imagery give children a lot to look at, though

as the story goes on both the story and the illustrations veer into

the repetitive, such as the several pages of Avocado visiting and

strolling with a giraffe, a pig, and a bee.

The Shankars, a father-daughter writing team, have imbued

this short tale with a lot of heart. The story of a dejected turtle

regaining her confidence is easy to understand and relate to.

Unfortunately, with subject matter that is so well-covered, the

narrative often lacks the

engaging specificity of the

best picture books. The tale,

told from a removed third-

person perspective, concerns

the ways that animals treat

each other in conversation,

but Avocado the Turtle offers

few instances of dialogue and

no direct interactions

between Avocado and the

other turtles, whose choice to

exile her is breezily summa-

rized. Still, the lesson is as

important as ever, and

Avocado’s journey to accep-

tance is a helpful and heartfelt

reminder for children of all

ages.

PICTURE BOOKS
The Nodders:
What You Don’t
Want to Nap?
Tina C. Huggins |
Beaver’s Pond Press
27p, hardcover, $16.99,
ISBN 978-1-643-43832-0
In the magical land of
Beddy Bye Woods,
you’ll find sparkling
ponds, cheerful
turtles, and most
important of all, the magical creatures known as Nodders.
These fuzzy, big-eared creations love to frolic and play—but
they can only start their fun once kids take a nap. It’s a clever
and engaging conceit: While kids nap, Nodders romp. Written
in story-time rhymes crafted to be read aloud, and boasting
Brian Schmidt’s stunning and lively digital illustrations of its
imaginative subjects, The Nodders is a picture book sure to be
requested again and again—and one that might offer relief to
tired caregivers and children alike.
Though a handful of rhymes feel forced, the verse overall
creates that rare hypnotic fairy tale effect, the kind of story that
lulls little ones to sleep. That might not happen with the first
reading, as the Nodders, as rendered by Schmidt, are so visually
interesting that the pages demand to be pored over in detail.
With hints of pigs and bats in their face and body, curlicues in
their ears, cute pajamas, and slippers that help them fly, the
Nodders exhibit whimsy and fun on every page. Those pages
are carefully considered and laid out, especially a masterful two
doublespread of the sun setting on one page and rising on the
next, say and night all blended together to show that this is in
fact one event.
There are no shortage of “go
to sleep” books for kids (and
adults), and The Nodders
succeeds in differentiating
itself with its highly original
concept —and by focusing on
naps. Even so, it could easily
be read as a good night book as
well. These charming beings
will likely work their way into
kids’ hearts, and will certainly
be welcome in a caregiver’s
arsenal when it comes to
nudging children toward
sleep.

This simple tale of a

misfit turtle offers a

charming lesson to

children about the

importance of

self-acceptance.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design & typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-

Production grades

Cover: A-

Design & typography: B+

Illustrations: B

Editing: A-

Marketing copy: A

Aive with whimsy

and enchantment,

this picture book is

crafted to charm

little ones into

napping.

PAID REVIEWS

Great for fans of

Il Sung Na’s A Book

of Sleep, Anna

Dewdney’s Llama

Llama Red Pajama.

Great for fans of

Dan Bar-El’s Not Your

Typical Dragon, Leslie

Helakoski’s Woolbur.