Inspiring.
Music makes a powerful statement.
Old Bear sits indoors on a gloomy day. A small bear—a grandchild?—coaxes him into taking a walk. When Little Bear takes his hand, he agrees, reluctantly. It’s windy and chilly, and Old Bear wants to return home, but Little Bear urges him on. Suddenly, they hear a sound. Investigating, they discover among some trash a battered saxophone: “The wind must have brought it to life,” says Little Bear. They take it home and repair and polish it. Little Bear’s attempts to play the instrument fail. When Old Bear tries, with Little Bear’s encouragement, he initially produces hearty squawks, but gradually, “the noises turn into notes…deep and rich and round.” Thereafter, Old Bear’s music lights up the sky; friends visit to listen. Old Bear is now happier and deeply grateful to Little Bear. The two visit the park daily, where Old Bear performs with his group, and later, Old Bear gives Little Bear a most appropriate birthday gift. This charming, uplifting story, narrated in first-person present tense by Little Bear, isn’t only about music’s transformative power. It’s also about how children can help brighten the outlooks of older adults—relatives or otherwise—and give their lives meaningful purpose. The pen and pencil illustrations, with colors added digitally, are cozy and delightful; onomatopoeic “musical” words are incorporated playfully throughout the text.
Inspiring. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781682636077
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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