by Caryl Hart ; illustrated by Zachariah OHora ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 2, 2022
Just the thing to help children deal with making a mistake—and amends.
A mysterious present at the park offers temptations.
Sonny, a fox whom readers may recognize from Sonny Says Mine! (2021), has a problem. Should he or shouldn’t he? He finds a box wrapped in polka-dot wrapping paper with a tag that says “For: Honey,” and he’s eager to know what’s inside. He pokes and sniffs the box. “Something smells delicious.” When Sonny’s friends join him, he gives in to his curiosity and opens the box. Boo, a bespectacled rabbit, looks inside with him, but Meemo, a dog clad in wristbands and a headband, disapproves, repeatedly pointing to the gift tag, barking, and finally silently leaving with slumped shoulders. Meanwhile, Sonny and Boo do more than just peek inside the box. They dismantle the cake one delicious decoration at a time and then chunk by chunk. Honey arrives, sees Sonny’s chocolaty hands, Boo’s chocolaty face, and the open box, and sobs. Sonny and Boo feel horrible and apologize, but Honey continues to cry. Finally, Sonny suggests that they all bake a delicious new cake together, and even Meemo joins them, the friendships restored. Brightly colored illustrations and simple text combine for an all-too-relatable tale—with a delightful ending and a solid lesson—that will appeal to preschoolers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Just the thing to help children deal with making a mistake—and amends. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0903-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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by Erin Guendelsberger ; illustrated by Elizaveta Tretyakova ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2020
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground.
A little red sleigh has big Christmas dreams.
Although the detailed, full-color art doesn’t anthropomorphize the protagonist (which readers will likely identify as a sled and not a sleigh), a close third-person text affords the object thoughts and feelings while assigning feminine pronouns. “She longed to become Santa’s big red sleigh,” reads an early line establishing the sleigh’s motivation to leave her Christmas-shop home for the North Pole. Other toys discourage her, but she perseveres despite creeping self-doubt. A train and truck help the sleigh along, and when she wishes she were big, fast, and powerful like them, they offer encouragement and counsel patience. When a storm descends after the sleigh strikes out on her own, an unnamed girl playing in the snow brings her to a group of children who all take turns riding the sleigh down a hill. When the girl brings her home, the sleigh is crestfallen she didn’t reach the North Pole. A convoluted happily-ever-after ending shows a note from Santa that thanks the sleigh for giving children joy and invites her to the North Pole next year. “At last she understood what she was meant to do. She would build her life up spreading joy, one child at a time.” Will she leave the girl’s house to be gifted to other children? Will she stay and somehow also reach ever more children? Readers will be left wondering. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 31.8% of actual size.)
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72822-355-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
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by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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