  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2011 PreS Gr 1—Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. From her perch in the mango tree, she surveys her extended family and is so happy that she does not know how to express her joy. Each relative tells her what they do when they are happy and she tries all of their methods. Finally, her mother tells her to sit quietly, so Anna climbs back up into her favorite tree and sits still. Soon, the birds come to the tree and sing. Then Anna Hibiscus knows what she can do—sing. And she does. This simple, predictable tale has a warm, loving feeling, and the plot and theme are universal. Children everywhere will think about what they can do when they are so happy that they cannot contain themselves. Large, colorful cartoon illustrations depict the action and help readers anticipate the story's climax. The end pages show a large urban setting, yet the illustrations reveal the extended family living in close, friendly quarters filled with lush vegetation. The text, illustrations, and format convey a sense of unity that stimulates aesthetic appreciation.—Margaret R. Tassia, Millersville University, PA - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 12/01/2011 This is the picture-book debut for Anna Hibiscus, who lives in “Amazing Africa” and who has previously appeared in a series of early chapter books. In this exuberant story, Anna perches at the top of a mango tree, looking down on the members of her extended family and rejoicing in her good fortune to the point where she is so happy that “she almost floats out of the tree.” Her family members offer advice on less precarious ways of celebrating joy, from counting the reasons for happiness to dancing to doing cartwheels, and each encounter makes Anna even happier until she is almost bursting with delight. In the end, Anna chooses to sing, and she composes an on-the-spot jingle about her happy feelings that she belts from the top of the mango tree. There’s not a whole lot of plot here, and the happiness theme could grow a bit thin were Anna not such a vivacious, affectionate child; instead, this is a tightly patterned ode to joy that features a close-knit extended family in an interesting setting. Tobia’s airy illustrations, homey lines tinted with planes of digital color, vividly capture the warmth of Anna’s family and village and offer relevant cultural details (the aunties’ patterned head wraps and skirts, the lush gardens). Anna herself is portrayed as an energetic little girl with light brown skin (her father is black, her mother white) and cornrows, zinging around town in her raspberry-colored dress. Partner this with Cunnane’s Chirchir Is Singing (BCCB 10/11) for a melodious pairing of irrepressible African girls who just can’t stop themselves from expressing their joy. HM - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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