Review - Ming and Her Poppy

Ming and Her Poppy
by Deirdre Sullivan
illustrated by Maja Löfdahl
Date: 2017
Publisher: Sky Pony
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

The stunning companion story to Ming Goes to School.

Ming and Poppy’s journey takes them over sidewalk cracks and dancing shadows, past honking horns and crowded crosswalks. They greet old friends and make new ones, while sharing stories, secrets, and the sting of painful words.

And sometimes, a sweet treat, too.

In this companion story to Ming Goes to School, Deirdre Sullivan’s gentle text paired with Maja Löfdahl’s soft, rich water color illustrations explores the special bond between family members as Poppy and Ming slow down and appreciate life’s simple moments.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Wow. I don't think I've ever disliked a sequel as much as I liked the first book! This one just doesn't have the same magic as Ming Goes to School. The illustrations aren't as engaging (or as cute), and the writing is all over the place. It's too pretentious (this book seems more like it was written for adults), and it resorts to using apostrophes to make plurals, which pretty much knocked a star off for me. I hate seeing incorrect punctuation and grammar in children's books.

I'm disappointed. While Ming Goes to School was a beautiful little picture book about embracing new experiences, Ming and Her Poppy is just a boring "journey" of a grandfather picking up a kid from preschool with lots of pretty words thrown in to make it seem deep.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5