Malina's Jam

June 26, 2020

K-Gr 2-An ode to sharing as the ultimate gift to one's self and the concept that actions speak louder than words in building relationships. Malina the hedgehog lives a solitary life. She loves tea, books, and her raspberry garden. She has brief, polite contact with her forest neighbors, who compliment her efforts. Once she has harvested her berries and made jam, she inadvertently gives away so much of it that she has none left for herself. Luckily she discovers that by giving away the jam, she has built community, and is repaid with gifts of food and friendship. Radivoeva has a deft hand with charming googly-eyed animals, but without character development to match the cute illustrations, the story's greeting card message falls flat. VERDICT An attractive package with a pat message, this is entirely optional.-Lisa Lehmuller, Paul Cuffee Maritime Charter Sch., Providence

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2020
This entry in the Walt Disney Animation Studios Artist Showcase, which publishes the books of Disney animators, is about a tea-loving, raspberry-eating bibliophile hedgehog. Malina is shy and spends more time with her raspberry patch and books than with other creatures. Having built herself an impressive collection of preserved raspberry jam, she learns that her neighbors want to try some and ends up giving it all away. Her new friends return the favor by giving her some of their own favorite snacks as well as by helping her grow more raspberries, thereby replenishing her favorite treat and forging new friendships. Though the story concept and illustrations come from a Disney animator, the text comes from co-author Sauer, who uses simple sentences and repetition to build a tightly constructed story. There's an overt sweetness to the illustrations, with the kind of bright-eyed, curly-lashed characters one sees in animated Disney films. Malina is an endearing character, though there's not much else about this story and its execution that distinguishes it from other picture books about friendship and generosity. Disney fans may be interested in seeing an animator switch forms. Appended is a note from the illustrator about her background in animation and why she was happy to try her hand at a picture book. Also appended is a jam recipe--with a reminder to share. If it's sugary-sweet stories you like, then this is your jam. (Picture book. 3-6)

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July 1, 2020
Preschool-K An adorable hedgehog is the heroine of this book, part of a series highlighting artists from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Malina is a quiet homebody who reads, drinks tea, and gardens, painstakingly tending to her raspberry garden before preparing jars of jam in autumn. This year, when word gets out about her delectable jam, neighbors come knocking, and in a burst of unwitting generosity, Malina passes out every last jar. Luckily, her fellow woodland creatures return the favor by bringing her snacks they've collected. Still, it's the jam that's the real hit, so much so that Malina's new friends end up helping out in her garden year-round. Fortunately, she doesn't mind. Malina sheds her isolationist ways and embraces her new community. Young readers will enjoy the beautiful, woodsy illustrations, with animals drawn in the cutesy style Disney is famous for. They may be inspired to practice that most difficult of skills, sharing, but they may also learn another lesson: save at least one jar of that delicious jam for yourself!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)