Yea, Bridget.
The author of Boodil, My Dog (1992) offers another of her offbeat stories.
This one, a shaggy-wolf tale about a milquetoast turned commander-in-chief of a pack of wild carnivores, has just the right measure of topsy-turvy, oddball humor. Bridget is a little fraidy cat: she doesn’t like to pet dogs or jump over mud puddles or muck around with worms. She toes the straight-and-narrow when it comes to the daycare teachers’ directives. Then she goes and gets lost on a field trip into the forest, even though she was doing just what she was told. Next thing you know, she’s deep in the purpling woods of dusk, and sets of yellow eyes are peering at her from behind trees. They turn out to belong to a pack of wolves, but wolves of a different stripe. They truck to Bridget’s every order—don’t ask why, just enjoy watching as she puts them through a series of drills disguised as games, playing catch-the-pine cone (until one of them chokes), climb-the-trees (they’re not too good at getting down), and hospital (they like being scratched behind the ears). They even like her mud-and-blueberry pie, which is just what they need before hitting the hay (after a visit to the “pee trees,” that is). Next morning, they direct her out of the woods and back to her daycare center. Who’d have thought it: wolves, a girl’s best friends. Lindenbaum’s comical, off-center art offers a sight never before seen in American picture books: wolves peeing on trees. And the text offers another rarity: droll and ironic humor for children.
Yea, Bridget. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2001
ISBN: 91-29-65395-9
Page Count: 24
Publisher: R&S/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
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
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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