LitPick Review
Kenzo is a young goat who lives with his mom, dad, and little brother, JuJu. Kenzo wakes up for school one morning, excited to go to art class and paint a picture based on a dream he had the night before. Determined to have the best day ever, Kenzo gets a little too excited at breakfast and has an accident. This starts a series of mishaps and incidents that lead to a bad day at school for Kenzo. But his mom and dad help him see that accidents can happen to anyone, and good days don’t always go according to plan. After this bad day, Kenzo learns that getting into trouble doesn't necessarily make him a bad kid.
Opinion:
Uh Oh Kenzo is a very thoughtful and energetic tale about what happens when things don’t go according to plan, and how to shake them off and find the good in even the most disastrous situations. Overenthusiasm can sometimes make it challenging to see accidents that are about to happen. Everyone has moments when a seemingly good day suddenly goes terribly wrong. But reading Kenzo's story can really help readers feel better in knowing they're not the only ones who make mistakes. This is a great book to read on one of those days.
Beautifully illustrated and sympathetically told by Kenzo himself, Uh Oh Kenzo! has an identifiable message to share. The narrative has perfect pacing and fluctuations in tone that make for a clear, easy-to-follow story and relatable conflict with a cathartic ending. I recommend this book to young children in the early stages of their school careers and who could use some cheering up on “uh-oh” days.
