Moises’ energizing, jewel-toned illustrations are the epitome of sweetness. Readers will relish the songlike onomatopoeia on almost every page, and careful youngsters will notice the cleverly placed breadcrumbs portending the jingle-jangle’s fate. A harmonious tribute to the power of music—and friendship.”
— Kirkus Reviews
"Charming, anthropomorphic characters and whimsical imagery enhance the appeal of this book for young children, and the book’s blend of sound and visuals make it a good selection for story hours. This eye-catching picture book brings joy to both the eyes and ears of young children who believe in a little magic, and it is a good addition to all collections." — School Library Journal
“Yesenia brings musicality to every illustration with sounds that leap off the page. This warm and welcoming picture book celebrates the magic of music and the power of community; with charming characters and rich colors, it is a vibrant tribute to the ways music unites us.” — Vashti Harrison, #1 New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of Little Leaders and Big
“Chaka Chaka, La di da di, WHOOSH SWOOSH, BLUB: The words Sound Like Joy! The colorful story feels like love!”
— C. G. Esperanza, award-winning author-illustrator of Boogie Boogie, Y’all
“This exquisitely illustrated book is a true feast of color and sounds, sure to bring joy to all who read it.” — Eric Velasquez, award-winning author-illustrator of Grandma’s Gift and Octopus Stew
“In Moises’ friendly cartoon images, the vibrant colors change with the location and the atmospheric conditions. An innovative, refreshing, out-of-this-world tale.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review for Stella's Stellar Hair
“Filled with richly colored illustrations, this book will particularly catch the eye of the Fancy Nancy set.” — Booklist, on Serena Williams' The Adventures of Qai Qai
“Moises’s bright digital cartoon art, dominated by shades of purple, pink, and blue, aptly reflects the book’s element of fantasy laced with optimism.” — Publishers Weekly, on Serena Williams' The Adventures of Qai Qai
2025-02-15
A young mermaid makes an exciting musical discovery.
Joy finds a tambourine on an ocean reef. Unsure what it is, she dubs it a “jingle-jangle” because of the pleasing sounds it produces. Beating the jingle-jangle, she invites her animal friends to listen. They all enjoy her music, but in her exuberance, the tambourine’s bells fall off. “I’ll never find a sound like that again,” the tearful Joy laments. Her pals take turns trying to cheer her up. Tentacles waving, Octopus encourages Joy to “whoosh” and “swoosh” her arms, Whale urges her to sing along, Seahorse blows his nose, producing a “symphony of bubbles,” and Crab makes “a clacking sound that [gets] the twin rays twirling and whirling.” Finally, a swarm of eels buzz by, leading Joy to another delightful surprise. But the true gift is the music they’ve made along the way. Moises’ energizing, jewel-toned illustrations are the epitome of sweetness. The sea creatures are softly rounded, with fun details that further anthropomorphize them: eyelashes on Whale, a green pompadour-esque hairdo on Octopus, a tiny mustache on Crab. Wide-eyed, expressive Joy is brown-skinned with Afro-textured hair. Readers will relish the songlike onomatopoeia on almost every page, and careful youngsters will notice the cleverly placed breadcrumbs portending the jingle-jangle’s fate.
A harmonious tribute to the power of music—and friendship.(Picture book. 4-8)
