The Quest for Screen Time

September 21, 2015
Jaden Toussaint, an inquisitive budding scientist with a spectacular Afro, feels like an outsider in his family. While his parents and sister are all bibliophiles, he hates to read: he’d rather get his hands on a tablet. After circulating a petition among his fellow kindergarteners campaigning for more computer time, Jaden’s ingenuity is rewarded. This charming first installment in the Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest chapter-book series features succinct but vivid characterizations and abundant humor (the family’s pets include a guinea pig that “never has the same name two weeks in a row,” and Jaden’s father “prefers to be called ‘baba,’ which means ‘father’ in Swahili. Does not speak Swahili”). Muravski’s b&w illustrations, nicely integrated throughout, are also an asset, enhancing this story’s appeal for readers who may be as reluctant as Jaden to pick up a book. Ages 5–7.