Time for Kenny

Here comes Kenny, a boy in perpetual motion. . . . Young readers who enjoyed Pinkney's Puppy Truck will eagerly grow into reading these stories alone, but they also work well as participatory read-alouds . . . With plenty of white space and colorful swirls . . . Pinkney's recognizable illustrations affirm the closeness of this Black family and paint an empathetic picture of one kid's resistances, fears, and joys.

Pinkney (Nya's Long Walk) creates a simple, endearing account of a day in the life of a preschooler. Painted in the artist's characteristically loose, rounded line, brown-skinned Kenny is first seen playing thoughtfully with a large toy bus. "It is time for Kenny to get dressed for the day," the narrator announces. Can Kenny wear his father's shirt? Can he wear his mother's shoes? No, but his parents gaze at him with affection as he tries them on, and his family admires him once he's properly dressed. After seeing Grandaddy off on the bus, Kenny considers the family's big green vacuum cleaner as it eats his chips and cereal off the rug. "Could it eat Kitty? Could it eat Kenny?" It can't, of course, and his father's tickles balance a tense moment of fright. Pinkney excels at seeing the world from a small person's point of view, portraying the distinctive ways that Kenny interacts with different family members, including, in another scene, his sister. Small, everyday events contain plenty of humor and action, conveying throughout the sense that Kenny is cherished and his concerns are honored. Ages 4-up. Agent: Amy Boggs, Donald Maass. (Jan.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1--Kenny, a young boy of color who is three or four, has a busy day ahead of him, relayed in four short sections that introduce readers to the concept of chapters. Pinkney coordinates the background color of each introduction page with the main subject. In the initial section, Kenny gets ready with his mom, dad, and older sister to take his granddaddy to the bus. The mustard yellow introduction page matches Kenny's toy school bus, as well as his granddaddy's suit, signaling that the focus of this section is Kenny's grandfather and the bus. This motif carries in the second section where Kenny, clutching a stuffed lion, worries that the seafoam green vacuum roaring to life might swallow him up, but his father is ready to save him with tickles. Next, Kenny's older sister teaches him to play soccer. Pinkney's signature fluid acrylic and India ink illustrations, swirling with color and energy, depict the dancing movement of the soccer ball flowing over Kenny's body from his knees up to his head. In the final section as Kenny plays with his toy school bus and his mother brings the day to a close with a bedtime story. This family-focused story will interest mostly very young children in the early preschool years; however, the simple, clear text is also accessible to emerging readers. VERDICT Essential purchase for public library picture book shelves beside Puppy Truck and On the Ball.--Emily Brush, Novi P.L., MI

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.