Oliver's lollipop

Birthday boy Oliver, a bespectacled green-eyed child, is visiting the zoo with his parents--one is white, and one is Black--and his younger brother, Louis. But when a large, rainbow-swirled "perfect birthday lollipop" from the stand at the zoo's entrance becomes Oliver's sole focus, the zoo and all its offerings fade to the background in anticipation of the sweet. After Oliver's treat is abruptly stolen by a mischievous animal, though, Louis helps Oliver open his eyes to the wonders before them. Wortche employs simple yet evocative prose: "It was starting to get dark./ But Mommy and Daddy agreed/ to one last carousel ride./ Oliver chose the dragonfly./ He let go--and felt like he was flying." Landazábal's vintage-inflected artwork, created in gouache, watercolor, and colored pencil, aptly captures the emotions of Oliver and family against the vibrantly colored setting. A gentle, well-paced reminder to live in the moment. Ages 3--7. (May)

Dazzled by the purchase of a large, rainbow lollipop, Oliver can focus only on how it will taste rather than on the wonders at the zoo. It's Oliver's birthday and a beautiful day for a zoo trip. At the entrance, a lollipop vendor intrigues, and Daddy buys Oliver "a huge round rainbow on a long white stick. The perfect birthday lollipop." Oliver is told to wait till after dinner to eat it; now, they are to enjoy the zoo. Oliver holds it tight, mesmerized by the colors and the prospect of how it will taste. At the carousel, Oliver is too worried he might drop his treat to ride and decides to stay behind with the stroller, watching little sib Louis, Mommy, and Daddy enjoy the ride. With eyes and thoughts only for the lollipop, Oliver misses all the fun and sights: the lions, the pandas, the monkeys, the flamingos, and the glowing feathers of the peacocks. By the time they get to the giraffes, Oliver can't wait any longer and begins to unwrap the lollipop--when the tall, long-necked animal reaches down and grabs it right out of his hand. Though Oliver's eyes are full of tears, the walk back through the zoo becomes more meaningful when little Louis sweetly whispers, "Look." Oliver blinks and sees the colors of the toucan's beak and much more. Vivid, bright paintings illuminate the well-told narrative centering a child's singular fixation, disappointment, and family warmth. Oliver and Louis are biracial, with a Black mom and White dad. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 50% of actual size.) An upbeat, gratifying birthday excursion despite a child's tense preoccupation. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.