Cute—but it doesn’t stand out from the flock.
Wally’s got one wild and wooly problem.
Even though his out-of-control fleece trips him up, gathers leaves and twigs, and keeps him from hugging his mama, young Wally does not think he needs a haircut. When the shears go “Swicka! Swicka!” and the clippers go “Bzzt! Bzzt!” Wally wigs out and hides between two large bales of hay. Mama shows him that haircuts don’t hurt by getting one herself. The sheepdog, the horses, the bull, and the goats all get new hairdos too, but Wally’s still afraid. “Cows got curls, donkeys donned updos, and the yak sported spikes. Even the pigs wore wigs.” Wally is still not interested in a shear. Then the animals decide to have a haircut hoedown, and Mama asks Wally to dance; he wants to come out of hiding…but he’s stuck thanks to his wool. He finally asks Mama to cut his hair and discovers that he loves the freedom of short wool. Driscoll’s alliterative sheep tale is a satisfying-enough story of fears faced. Children scared of barbers or the shears will identify. The Photoshop-painted pencil-sketch illustrations are acceptable cartoon farm fare: smoky, smudgy, smiling animals with wacky mops. Still, among the annals of haircut resistance, amiable though this book is, it’s not a radical departure from the rest.
Cute—but it doesn’t stand out from the flock. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: July 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-553-53579-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series.
Another creature is on the loose.
The long-running series continues its successful formula with this Hallmark card of a book, which features bright illustrations and catchy rhymes. This time, the mythical creature the racially diverse children set out to catch is an absent mom who does it all (lists of descriptors include the words banker, caregiver, nurse, doctor, driver, chef, housekeeper, teacher, entertainer, playmate, laundry service, problem solver, handywoman, cleaner, and alarm clock) but doesn’t seem to have a job outside the home and is inexplicably a dinosaur. As the children prepare gifts and a meal for her, the text becomes an ode to the skills the Mamasaurus possesses (“Day or night she’s always there. / She meets every wish and need”) and values she instills (“Sometimes life can mean hard work,” “kindness matters,” and “what counts is doing your best”). This well-intentioned selection veers into cliche generously sprinkled with saccharine but manages to redeem itself with its appreciation for mothers and all that they may do. Endpapers include a “to” and “from” page framed in a heart, as well as a page where young gift givers or recipients can draw a picture of their Mamasaurus.
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781728274300
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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