A young horse discovers the magical reason why she doesn’t fit in.
Sasha isn’t like the other horses in her herd. She loves running and craves adventure more than the others, especially her ladylike older sisters. She struggles in school with an “itchy feeling” of anticipation, which leaves her fidgety, unable to stay still or pay attention. As much as she tries to behave, she can’t fight her desire to run and jump—especially to jump. When the white patch on her back, the itching’s source, begins to sparkle, she goes to her parents for answers and gets more than she expected. Sasha was adopted; she joined their family as a newborn when, during a huge thunderstorm, a blast of sparkling rainbow lightning left Sasha behind with a letter asking her parents to take care of her. Wanting to know more, Sasha and her best friend go hiking at the mountain where her parents found her. Near the top of the mountain, an accidentally-too-enthusiastic jump launches Sasha off the mountain—whereupon she sprouts wings from her white patch and flies. Energetic readers will relate to Sasha’s manic, kinetic energy and envy her flight abilities. The sequel, Journey Beyond the Trees, releasing simultaneously, continues bold Sasha’s quest for answers as she travels in search of her kind. Gentle black-and-white art emphasizes the horses’ expressive eyes and manes.
Sweet and spunky. (Fantasy. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0390-7
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2016
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S DRAGONS & MYTHICAL CREATURES
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Gerald the elephant learns a truth familiar to every preschooler—heck, every human: “Waiting is not easy!”
When Piggie cartwheels up to Gerald announcing that she has a surprise for him, Gerald is less than pleased to learn that the “surprise is a surprise.” Gerald pumps Piggie for information (it’s big, it’s pretty, and they can share it), but Piggie holds fast on this basic principle: Gerald will have to wait. Gerald lets out an almighty “GROAN!” Variations on this basic exchange occur throughout the day; Gerald pleads, Piggie insists they must wait; Gerald groans. As the day turns to twilight (signaled by the backgrounds that darken from mauve to gray to charcoal), Gerald gets grumpy. “WE HAVE WASTED THE WHOLE DAY!…And for WHAT!?” Piggie then gestures up to the Milky Way, which an awed Gerald acknowledges “was worth the wait.” Willems relies even more than usual on the slightest of changes in posture, layout and typography, as two waiting figures can’t help but be pretty static. At one point, Piggie assumes the lotus position, infuriating Gerald. Most amusingly, Gerald’s elephantine groans assume weighty physicality in spread-filling speech bubbles that knock Piggie to the ground. And the spectacular, photo-collaged images of the Milky Way that dwarf the two friends makes it clear that it was indeed worth the wait.
A lesson that never grows old, enacted with verve by two favorite friends . (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-9957-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2014
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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In this picture book from singer Parton and co-author Perl, a small French bulldog goes to Nashville, joins a band, fends off bullies, and meets one of the queens of country music.
Promising at the outset that this is just the first of a series of adventures starring her beloved “god-dog,” Parton goes on to hit all the conventional thematic notes. Inspired by musical dreams, Billy heads for Nashville. After a “ruff day” in which being scorned by big dogs for not being a “true muttropolitan” leaves him feeling “lower than a stick on the ground,” he eats some flowers, strums some tunes, forms a band with a trio of little dogs, and, after sending the big pooches packing, trots out a “pawsome” performance at the “Battle of the Bow-Wows.” And from there it’s on to the Grand Ole Opry to hear his big-haired favorite singer warble out lines from her song “Makin’ Fun Ain’t Funny,” about celebrating differences rather than mocking them. Haley slips those lines, along with references to “Jowlene” and “I will pawlways love you,” into painted scenes of an all-dog-or-Dolly cast set against swirls of music and simply drawn backdrops. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Music takes center stage and bullies get properly pun-ished in this hearty and wholesome howl. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9780593661574
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
Categories: CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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