The Spark in You

Pippins's enthusiastic book takes inspiration from Brazilian Carnival as it celebrates individuals' internal spark. Snappy prose suggests that an inner light is present, and that "whenever you have an idea," it "dances in your smile, / through your hands, and in your feet." Bold digital art, meanwhile, tells a parallel story of a brown-skinned child creating a costume and attending Carnival. Clad in a homemade mask and wings, the child revels in the festival, accepting a flower from a figure on stilts, donning a beaded necklace, and grooving to a band. In a foldout, individuals of varied abilities, body types, and skin tones joyously parade through the streets, while text speaks of the spark as "magical, moving, flowing, and carefree." Even when the "busy and LOUD" crowd temporarily overwhelms, the spark "is there, glowing as quiet comfort in your heart." DIY mask instructions conclude. Ages 4-8. (Jan.)

PreS-Gr 1--Feathers, sequins, and other assorted notions lay scattered in front of a young girl with dark skin and big, curly brown hair. With an idea in her mind and a spark in her heart, her scissors snip, revealing wings and a mask ready for bedazzling. Posters of Brazil and Carnival pinned to the wall silently allude to the motivation for the girl's creative pursuit. Soon, her dazzling costume is finished and she boards a bus to join the jubilant celebrations of Carnival. Food carts boast their delicious offerings in Portuguese, music is loud and energetic, and brilliantly dressed people of many skin tones dance samba in the streets. Pippin's second-person narrative is affirmative and honors the creative self-expression of readers, comparing it to the same spark of exuberant energy that flows through Carnival festivities, "Your spark is big and powerful like a festive explosion." However, the text does not directly reference Carnival, so it is the vibrant and stylized digital illustrations that tell the story of the young girl attending the celebration. For textual information on Carnival, pair with Joana Pastro's Bisa's Carnaval. Back matter features instructions to "Make Your Own Fancy Mask." VERDICT Libraries will want to consider purchasing this homage to joyful self-expression for its visual representation of Carnival.--Emily Brush