Pichard blends modern interests with the old-fashioned charm of receiving letters by post, proving in this digital age of...
A friendship blooms in this homage to the handwritten letter.
Oscar the ant and Bill the octopus are school pen pals. Through their correspondence, the two seemingly different creatures find much in common. Their communication, full of innocent questions and the sharing of wish lists and thoughtful mementos, brings them together. Through the letters (the book’s sole text), readers will experience the delight, disappointment, surprise, and anticipation each post brings. The digital illustrations, done with some collage, are reminiscent of Ed Emberley’s, with neon colors that pop on the page. A simple format helps clarify who is penning the letter (Bill’s are on the left with yellow stationery; Oscar’s are on the right with blue). Accompanying each message is an image of its author, almost always in the same pose—but with small additions. Finding what’s changed in the simple setup is part of the fun, allowing readers to notice the gifts sent to see how meaningful they are to their recipients. This illustrative device works well; however, this American translation fails to distinguish between the two characters’ handwriting (all text is set in a clean, sans serif typeface), missing the opportunity taken in the French original to further differentiate between the characters’ styles and personalities.
Pichard blends modern interests with the old-fashioned charm of receiving letters by post, proving in this digital age of social media, texting, abbreviation, and brevity that there’s still magic behind the stamp. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7247-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2016
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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
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