Jackie Azúa Kramer

Rhythm is a picture book about a community during hard times. The narrator hopes that her father will find work again. The family spends Thanksgiving eating at a community food kitchen.
Illustrations show closed signs on businesses, and there is a mention of families who have moved to find work. The narrator's life is centered around family and her friendly tree. The book's back cover contains the sentence, "The hard winter finally melts into spring." I think that is the story's message – that the rhythm of nature and life always returns to new things. Taia Morley's illustrations are rich, colorful, and detailed. While they may enjoy the pictures, I am not sure the target audience will understand the story without an explanation from their parents or teacher. Even so, I think the story is a good one.
Thank you to NetGalley and American Psychological Association Magination Press. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher, Magination Press, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.… (more)

Time passes, seasons change, the tree is steadfast and weathers storms, and things do get better. This is a lovely, simple, happy ending book. A stress reducer.
The illustrations by Taia Morley are delightful, imaginative, and vividly colorful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from American Psychological Association/Magination Press via NetGalley. Thank you!… (more)

This book is unique. It takes place over a year and a half in which a father is out of work. That is in the background of the entire story but the main little girl is not crying or yelling or worried. We see through the eyes of a child how they cope with a parent not finding work. This book focuses on the tree this girl has befriended and how she sees it change through the seasons and what she does to make everyone happy and relaxed. This book is more than just one thing. It’s a simple but contemplative story. It’s one of those stories that normalizes things like a parent out of work. It’s very well done and very heartwarming.… (more)