Fireworks
words by Matthew Burgess
pictures by Cátia Chien
Clarion Books, 2025. 40 pages.
Review written July 15, 2025, from a library book.
Starred Review
The world needed a truly excellent picture book about the Fourth of July, and now we have one. Though in fact, the book doesn’t mention the name of the holiday, so we had a bit of discussion whether to shelve it with holiday books here in the library. But books for Independence Day are few and far between – and this one begins with a hot summer day, so it definitely fits.
And the book is so evocative! It begins as two brown-skinned siblings wake up and venture out “across steamy city sidewalks.” The impressionistic pictures by Cátia Chien make you feel the steam – and feel the joy when later the kids play in a fire hydrant that sprung a leak.
Besides the wonderful illustrations, the descriptions are full of onomatopoeia. We’ve got “plip plop plip” on this page with an illustration full of juice and joy:
And in the thirsty afternoon
we watch the knife slice
the great green watermelon
into shining red wedges.Chins drip sweet drips.
We also hear sounds from street performers playing music and Grandma cooking dinner in a pan.
But no surprise that the highlight of it all is when the kids climb to the rooftop of their building and see fireworks streak across the sky.
We’ve got all sorts of firework sounds and now an accent of florescent pink that we saw on the cover and the endpapers. And the kids dancing with joy far below. It brings you right into a fireworks display.
Then there’s a close-up on the kids’ wide-eyed faces before a fold-out page gives you the Finale.
And it ends like every good picture book – snug in bed – but this time with visions of fireworks dancing in their heads.
This is for sure destined to become a summertime classic. And don’t miss the opportunity to explain to little ones how fireworks shows will go before they experience their first. They’ll know to expect bright lights and loud sounds – and exuberant joy.
matthewjohnburgess.com
catiachien.com
Find this review on Sonderbooks at: www.sonderbooks.com/Picture_Books/fireworks.html
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Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.
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