by Laura Gehl ; illustrated by Christopher Weyant ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 16, 2018
A sweet gigglefest.
An enterprising little dog insinuates its way into the heart and home of an unsuspecting man.
First seen on the street huddling with a cat for warmth, the canine enters a shop called the Pillow Place and curls up on a pile of pillows. An unnamed, mustachioed, nearsighted white man is rather unobservant and mistakenly chooses the puppy for his bed. But this “pillow” does not conform to expectations, moving around and leaving the man sleepless. He tries to return the “broken” item, but, as the smarmy, white clerk points out, it is soft and fluffy and therefore “not broken.” The canine protagonist then emulates a footstool that at home is too noisy but very comfy. The jacket the man next purchases has a furry dog collar that makes stinky burps and belches, but the man has to admit it is indeed warm and cozy. Finally he realizes the truth and names his new friend Jackie. On their way to buy a new hat, Jackie winks at the orange cat, who has been lurking patiently in nearly every scene, and—voilà, a cat hat. Gehl’s tale is slight and wonderfully silly. Weyant’s clever, brightly hued, digitally enhanced watercolor-and-ink cartoons provide details that enlarge the action and greatly add to the fun. Little readers will delight in being more sharply tuned to events than the confused gentleman and will gleefully point out the visual clues.
A sweet gigglefest. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-425-28824-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Laura Gehl
BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Gehl ; illustrated by Sonia Sánchez
BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Gehl ; illustrated by Patricia Metola
BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Gehl
Awards & Accolades
Likes
13
Our Verdict
GET IT
New York Times Bestseller
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2023
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Awards & Accolades
Likes
13
Our Verdict
GET IT
New York Times Bestseller
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Share your opinion of this book
More by Mo Willems
BOOK REVIEW
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Dan Santat
BOOK REVIEW
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems
BOOK REVIEW
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Kevin Jonas
BOOK REVIEW
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.