A wise, thought-provoking tale about the true meaning of charity.
Helping others is a very fine thing to do.
Hanina Chipmunk loves gathering nuts; she also enjoys the praise she receives for sharing them with others. But not everyone appreciates her thoughtfulness. Mathilda Squirrel gruffly rebuffs Hanina’s offerings. Leon Mouse explains that Mathilda, once a champion nut gatherer, isn’t so mobile anymore and feels self-conscious about requiring assistance. While helping is a mitzvah (or a good deed), so is not embarrassing someone while doing so. Hanina wonders how to accomplish both missions, finally deciding to work at night. Diurnal Hanina knows she’s violating forest rules by venturing out under cover of darkness, but contemplating hungry Mathilda emboldens her to work through startling nighttime forest noises. Even scarier is Hanina’s terrifying confrontation with the nocturnal Great Horned Owl—a chipmunk predator—who ultimately sympathizes with her explanation for the evening escapade. Released by the owl, Hanina delivers her bounty to Mathilda’s door at dawn. She hides when a delighted Mathilda, none the wiser, finds them. Heading home, Hanina concludes that helping someone secretly is best. This sweet, simply told story is based on a tale from the Talmud, one of Judaism’s central texts. It will resonate with children who are generally altruistic by nature; adults may want to encourage a pro-con discussion of clandestine generosity. Stylized illustrations, rendered in gouache, pencil, and crayon and featuring an all-animal cast, make wonderful use of color to depict day and night.
A wise, thought-provoking tale about the true meaning of charity. (information about the Talmud and giving, definitions of diurnal and nocturnal animals) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9798888592342
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
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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