An attempt at a child-friendly explanation of gender transitioning that fumbles.
A young child tells their school friends about their sister’s transition.
The main character, a light-skinned, overalls-clad child with curly brown hair, is questioned by their diverse classmates about where their “brother” has gone. “Was he eaten by a WHALE or SHARK?” the kids ask. “Was he taken to Mars by aliens?” The narrator responds to each line of questioning with a firm “Hey, you need to chill” before finally revealing that their sibling has transitioned and is now their sister, Lily (light-skinned and brown-haired), who’s “still clever and funny and kind and cool.” While the message that other people’s gender transitions are really not that big a deal is an important one, the titular refrain seems unnecessarily defensive and even a bit callous given that the other children are confused rather than unaccepting. (Indeed, they don’t say anything when they find out, let alone anything mean, and they smile upon seeing Lily come to pick the narrator up from school.) Because readers don’t find out where Lily is until more than halfway through the story—after the kids have suggested a series of more and more outlandish scenarios—the revelation feels like a gotcha moment that inadvertently others and sensationalizes trans people. The book also features Lily’s deadname several times—another misstep. The meter is uneven but readable, while the cute, scribbly illustrations are a strong point. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An attempt at a child-friendly explanation of gender transitioning that fumbles. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781728275529
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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