by Ethan Long ; illustrated by Ethan Long ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2016
A humorous reminder of the importance of time alone.
Long’s amusing cartoon-style animals work through friendship issues, balancing alone time with playtime in a picture book that introduces three new, recurring characters.
One sunny day, Lion is “enjoying some time in his Alone Spot when suddenly” his good friend Bear startles the feline Picasso, shouting, “TAG! YOU’RE IT!” Lion is not happy about being disturbed, so Bear runs off to play with Tiger—who straightaway tags Lion. Lion just wants some peace and quiet to finish his painting. The tension escalates as the two troublemakers keep pestering Lion. “But it’s playtime,” insists Tiger. Lion tries to separate himself, but finally he reaches his breaking point and shouts back, “PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE! I do NOT want to play!” Long’s digital artwork keeps the tone light, with pastel colors, clean lines, and exaggerated expressions; those expressions, body language, and speech bubbles do the heavy narrative lifting, with just a few lines of narrative stitching the action together. Once Lion promises that he’ll play after his painting is done, Tiger and Bear leave him alone to work. Long skillfully avoids didacticism while showing children how they can use their words to navigate the tricky waters of friendship. Young readers will giggle at the final page as Lion tags Bear in the never-ending favorite childhood game.
A humorous reminder of the importance of time alone. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4197-1896-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Laura Hughes
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by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2023
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones.
What’s better than a cheerleading chicken?
Are you ever blue, unsure, tired, or overworked? Do you ever feel lost or overwhelmed? This uplifting book, expressed in delightful, jaunty verse, explains how to lift your spirits pronto: What you need is a booster chicken telling you’re doing great even when you’re not so confident, as when you’re learning or practicing a new skill, for instance. Your feathered champion will be right there, encouraging you all the way, with a loud “WOO HOO!” that’ll keep you going and remove any doubt you’re super terrific. But what if your cheerful chick errs and doesn’t do what it set out to do? Don’t worry—your cheery chicken just needs a reminder that everyone makes mistakes. That alone is a pep talk, enhanced by the wisdom that making mistakes allows everyone to learn and demonstrate they did their best. So forgive yourself, chickens! But the best thing is…instead of relying on someone else—like a chicken—to strengthen your ego, say a generous daily “WOO HOO!” to yourself. This riotous book hits all the right notes and does so succinctly and hilariously. The energetic, comical illustrations, in Boynton’s signature style, will elicit giggles and go far to make the book’s important point. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-316-48679-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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