Banana

December 15, 2022
What to do when a fancy new object intrudes on family time? A child and their father are a perfect pair: "I love my dad. He's the best at the pool. He rates my handstands. I rate his dives. We play shark games. When it's time to go home, I do Dad's hair." But things change when the pair walk by a Banana store. Dad is transfixed by his new, seemingly magical Banana (the artwork shows the two riding a flying Banana, using it as a saw, and more). The acquisition changes the father, taking up more of his time. Finally frustrated, the child acts...by eating the banana. Dad throws a bit of a fit, but after some family time, the duo get back to the important things in life, like going to the pool. As an allegory for modern technology, the story is strong, reminding readers of all ages that useful electronic gadgets shouldn't take priority over daily social interactions. While the book's solution might be an oversimplification, it should still spark healthy conversations in families about when it's time to unplug. Rendered in pencil and risograph, the soft illustrations have a classic yet modern feeling. Both parent and child have dark hair and skin the white of the page; background characters are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A cautionary tale about overreliance on devices that's sure to be the apple of many readers' eyes. (Picture book. 5-8)

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January 23, 2023
What happens when a single father’s obsession comes between him and his child? In a metaphorical picture book by Abbott (Pig and Horse and the Something Scary), the item is a growing oblong fruit. As the pages open, the white-presenting parent and child share wonderful times. After a swim at the pool, “I do Dad’s hair. Then he makes me into a burrito.” Loose pencil drawings and risograph printing tinted in reds, yellows, and blues give the pages a handcrafted feel. When the two stop at a banana store one day and Dad “cannot resist” a purchase, things are good for a while: “We take the Banana everywhere,” the child says, as the two are shown feeding it a sandwich. But as the banana balloons to alarming proportions, Dad’s attention is consumed by it. At the pool, it looms on the deck chair, physically separating the duo. It’s time for decisive action, and the youth’s next move is both simple and final. It’s a visually striking allegory about the dismay and jealousy a child may feel over change—and this young protagonist’s triumph gives the tale a sense of dark, unexpected gratification. Ages 3–7. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties.