by Arthur Howard ; illustrated by Arthur Howard ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 4, 2016
Certainly an ode to dog lovers, the conclusion may leave readers perplexed.
A boy wonders what his dog dreams about.
A little white boy introduces readers to his dog, Scooter, whom the boy knows well. He knows what make Scooter’s tail wag: treats, people food, squeaky toys, and his dog friends—all labeled on one double-page spread. The things that make Scooter growl are similarly presented. The little boy continues chronicling what he knows about Scooter: words Scooter knows, when Scooter’s thirsty, and when he’s scared, etc., but the one thing the little boy doesn’t know is what Scooter dreams about. This seems natural to wonder about, but the answer that satisfies the little boy—him—feels a little forced, as is the sudden appearance of the character (his grandfather, who’s fishing) who provides it. With most characters (both child and adult) referenced only in the text, and the backgrounds up until the end of the book either basic washes or generic places (home, school, etc.) it seems especially odd to see an adult engaged in a very specific activity. Additionally, the proffered answer seems arbitrary. Perhaps best known for his illustrations of the Mr. Putter and Tabby and Gooseberry Park series, Howard’s human characters’ stylized faces make the dogs stand out as both expressive and delightful, while the hand-lettered text and child narration complement each other.
Certainly an ode to dog lovers, the conclusion may leave readers perplexed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5838-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Arthur Howard
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by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Arthur Howard
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by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Arthur Howard
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings
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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
by Hoda Kotb ; illustrated by Chloe Dominique ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2024
Pleasant enough but not particularly original.
Uplifting messages of positivity from the Today show anchor.
Hope springs eternal, so the saying goes. Kotb agrees, here delivering to children the cheery news that hope lives inside all of them and that whatever they might wish for can be theirs. All they need is a sunny outlook, and the possibilities for happy outcomes are virtually endless. Children’s dreams can be in-the-moment ones—like purple ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry—or more far-ranging ones, such as growing tall enough to reach that high shelf easily or for hair that’s long enough to braid. It doesn’t matter, the author reassures young readers. Your aspirations will be realized, so don’t give up on them—just keep believing in them and, most of all, in yourself. Throughout, Kotb calls hope a rainbow, a feeling, a gift, and a wish. Hope is “new friends you’ll find— / friends who are loving and funny and kind.” Hope is “practicing your heart out, letter by letter.” The book’s overarching theme is upbeat, but its bouncy rhyming text is clumsy. The child-appealing illustrations are colorful and lively, though they have a generic look. The cast of wide-eyed characters is racially diverse; some have visible disabilities.
Pleasant enough but not particularly original. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780593624128
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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by Hoda Kotb ; illustrated by Suzie Mason
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