Perfect for tutu-loving kiddos and the people who love them.
Fashionista Goose’s ostentatious outfits can be a pain for big sibling Miranda, but when Miranda needs to look swanky, it’s Goose to the rescue.
Goose adores clothes with pizzazz. Why wear jammies when there’s a fabulous zebra costume around? Sometimes, though, her snazzy attire isn’t suitable, leaving ever-practical Miranda to talk Goose into sensible duds. In an understated first-person narrative, Miranda is delightfully unflappable, cleverly steering Goose out of heels and into playground-perfect sneakers. But when the pair head to the circus, it’s Miranda who needs style advice. With Goose’s help, Miranda shines in a big top–worthy ringmaster look. Though “there will always be days when Goose wants to wear her bathing suit to school,” a grateful Miranda has a new appreciation for fashion-forward Goose. While the plot is slight, it’s inundated with good humor. Unlike many sibling books, this one is devoid of turmoil. Miranda’s never annoyed by Goose’s antics, and their dynamic is affectionate, especially the tender dialogue, rendered in a handwritten font. Interestingly, no adult ever appears, making Miranda’s supervision feel unexpectedly vital. Like the bubble baths Goose favors, the accompanying images are effervescent. Scribbly colored pencil drawings charm, with subdued backgrounds that accentuate Goose’s bold outfits. Little details—elaborate accessories and slightly exaggerated facial expressions—all make Goose feel larger-than-life. Both characters are pale-skinned and dark-haired.
Perfect for tutu-loving kiddos and the people who love them. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
ISBN: 9781662640995
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Hippo Park/Astra Books for Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.
A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.
A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
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