Politely contrarian and utterly charming.
A nonconformist polar bear navigates classroom dynamics on his own terms.
“Everyone says NO sometimes. Bartleby says, ‘I prefer not to.’ He says it a lot.” Dressed nattily in his red bowler hat, tie, and overalls, Bartleby sets himself apart from his peers, distancing himself physically and opting out of group activities. “For free play, everyone chooses a toy. ‘I prefer not to,’” says Bartleby, sitting alone. Circle time, music class, recess? He’d prefer not to. I prefer not to is quite different than saying no, and Bartleby’s refrain of passive resistance has a particular effect on his perplexed-looking classmates. When their teacher, Ms. Melville (natch), invites the students to create self-portraits at art time, bystander Bartleby finds a creative way to participate on his own terms, in his own time. Secondary characters—all anthropomorphic animals—and scenery in gently expressive ink brush lines with muted watercolor tones starkly contrast with knobby-eared Bartleby’s eccentric scarlet attire and crisp white fur, further emphasizing the youngster’s singularity. In this ever-so-slightly philosophical addition to the canon of you-do-you picture books, the pragmatic text and diminutive trim size further bolster a civilly dissenting message. Brace yourselves, grown-ups: Bartleby’s refrain, taken straight from Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener,” seems destined to enter vernacular among young readers, whether you’d prefer that or not.
Politely contrarian and utterly charming. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780374393557
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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
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