Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"While other babies whimpered and whined, Jimmy's righteous wail shook the nursery all night long," writes debut author Perkins of this title's preternaturally rockin' young protagonist. It seems like nothing can stop Jimmy on his rise to the top of the charts, especially with his mother and "biggest fan" at his side. Atkinson (the Simon and Chester series) turns every stop on the parent-child routine into rock concert spoofs. Digitally cartooned vignettes featuring ample emanata, Ben-Day dots, and music notes portray brown-skinned Jimmy shredding at the top of a slide and wailing into a banana mic in the checkout line. But the dark side of rock stardom emerges at nap time, when Jimmy carries out the equivalent of trashing a hotel room, lands "on the wrong side of the law," and hits "rock bottom." The events almost take the familial duo to a breaking point before the two hug and "rocked the night away" in a rocking chair. If most of the jokes seem aimed straight at adult fans of classic rock, the book's core concept is sound: to besotted parents, every child is a chartbuster. An afterword playlist, "Jimmy's Jams," is dominated by white artists. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Natascha Morris, Tobias Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Nicole Tugeau, Tugeau 2. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--In a debut picture book, readers meet "born to rock" toddler Jimmy. Rocking his way through life, whether at the playground or the mall, Jimmy performs and his adoring fans love to see him. His jam is totally harshed, however, when his mom insists it is time for a nap. Doesn't she realize that rock stars don't nap? Refusing to rest, a cranky and tired Jimmy and his lifestyle take a messy turn in the most hilarious way. Full of funny music puns and Atkinson's expressive, colorful pictures, this book will captivate readers of all ages. The back matter includes a playlist of classic rock songs that were the inspiration for the book, and may open younger readers' appetites to some great music from the past. VERDICT A comical, musical journey, this book could lead to lively story hours across age ranges, one that even caregivers will rock to.--Lauren White
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
ROCK-a-bye, baby! Jimmy was born to rock and roll: His loud wails in the hospital nursery prove he's a star as he out-shrieks the other newborns. As Jimmy grows, he wows crowds everywhere--the highchair, the bedroom (where he and Mama, his "biggest fan," "rocked the nights away")--the playground, the supermarket. When Mama announces that it's naptime, the star decides that's not in his contract and quickly rocks out of control--biting, scribbling on walls, and staging an epic tantrum--until, finally tuckered out, the rocker settles into his biggest fan's arms and snoozes the night away. Much of the text employs snippets of classic rock lyrics, mostly from '60s-'80s tunes. The author is self-referential, conveying his obvious musical passions and love of parenting. The book has an adult, tongue-in-cheek sensibility, appealing more to knowing parents of babies than to child readers; this will make a fun gift for baby showers and new parents. Many young parents, however, may not recognize references to some of the older classic rock tunes and will certainly benefit from the song list in the backmatter; it's too bad a QR code isn't included. The comic, cartoony digital illustrations are dynamic and depict the "superstar" infant and his parents as brown-skinned. There's only one perfect rock-star baby in the world--and every parent has one. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
