Crisp execution doesn’t mitigate a soggy premise.
An anthropomorphic carrot and cookie test the limits of their friendship.
Since meeting on their trikes in the park, “bright, grounded” Carrot and “sweet, warm” Cookie have become fast friends. Carrot teaches Cookie to dip in hummus. Cookie teaches Carrot to dunk in milk. But, when Cookie’s other friends Cupcake and Lollipop mock Carrot, Carrot wilts. And, when Carrot’s other vegetable friends mock Cookie, Cookie feels crummy. Neither stands up for the other, straining their relationship and sending Cookie to seek guidance from family. Grandpa (a fig bar) spouts “stale” ideas about desserts acting like desserts. But the child of a muffin and a carrot, Aunt C.C. (a slice of carrot cake) proves that desserts and vegetables can not only be friends but fall in love. Is it too late for Cookie and Carrot to reconcile? With around 190 words and their variants, Perl and Fenske’s collaboration is a pun-filled exploration of friendship. Though the higher word count and relatively small type necessitate some reading fluency, the text never exceeds five sentences on a page and still remains accessible to emerging readers. Fenske’s bright, colorful cartoon art gives personality to each food. Delightful background details, like a pasta-noodle slide and broccoli trees, up the charm factor. But while the overall message is sunny and welcoming, the vegetable/dessert binary trivializes the complexity of racial and cultural difference by using edible stand-ins. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Crisp execution doesn’t mitigate a soggy premise. (Early reader. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-22631-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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