Mamá's magnificent dancing plantitas

Little Jesús, from the Pura Belpré Honor Book Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock (2023), returns for more entertaining shenanigans. This time, Jesús is put in charge of caring for Mamá's beloved houseplants. As Chief Plant Officer, Jesús, who sees his caretaking role as similar to being a big brother, does his best to keep the plants watered and entertained. To help cheer up Mamá's favorite plant, the Golden Pothos, Jesús decides to put on some music and have a dance party. The fun stops when the Golden Pothos suddenly falls and breaks, and Jesús worries and stresses over the broken pot. Jesús refers to himself as a "murderer" at this point, which might miss the mark for the young intended audience and the otherwise lighthearted tone of the story. Mamá calmly offers up a new container, demonstrating that sometimes breaking things helps us grow. Illustrator Kinkz returns with vivid and engaging watercolor illustrations including lots of detailed plants with facial expressions and handwritten dialogue. Overall, a vibrant portrait of a mother-son bond that mostly delivers on its upbeat message.

Little Jesús assumes his most significant role yet: caring for his Mamá's beloved plantitas. While Mamá watches her novela, a bored Jesús does chores, resulting in a mess. So Mamá comes up with an idea. Can Jesús be a big brother to her plants while she enjoys some TV time? Jesús is thrilled; an only child, he welcomes the idea of having plant siblings. With the self-appointed title of Chief Plant Officer, Jesús gets to work the next day. He cleans up the soil around the snake plant, chills out with the bunny ear cactus, and checks in with the Swiss cheese plant. When Jesús notices that Mamá's cherished golden pothos plant looks a little sad one afternoon, he throws an impromptu dance party to cheer it up. Unfortunately, he knocks the plant over. "Ooooh noooo! Man down!" With Papá's assistance, Jesús and Mamá come together to ensure her plantita looks better than ever. A companion to the resplendentPapá's Magical Water-Jug Clock (2023), Trejo and Kinkz's latest collaboration amuses with similar madcap humor and shenanigans, focusing on the supportive mother-son relationship briefly glimpsed in the earlier book. As always, the miniature scamp's hijinks and wry observations bring the laughs--though the antics feel a little over-the-top this time--to the forefront, matched in zany intensity by the bright, frenetic illustrations and abundant speech bubbles that break up the main text. Characters are Latine. Publishes simultaneously in Spanish. Another enthusiastic romp.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.