Lovely and understated, perfect for a young reader’s library.
In Ferris’ picture book, when a young girl falls out with her friends, a visit to some beehives teaches her about cooperation.
Jocelyn, a young girl with a tan skin tone and black hair, has a problem: Her friends don’t want to play what she does. Her mother takes her to her uncle Brandt’s beehives. He shows her around, first suiting up in beekeeper gear. The two meet the Queen Bee and put honey into a jar. Jocelyn learns that bees are instrumental in feeding the world and that they must work collaboratively to do so. Every bee has a role, such as finding food, caring for the youngest, cleaning, and making honey. “Beeples”—bees and people—work as one unit to get the work done. The narrative emphasizes the idea that, when we give back to others, we also give to ourselves and to the world around us. Using bees as a metaphor for social connectedness, this beautiful book illustrates the significance of altruism and cooperation. The illustrations by Sikorskaia—appearing both within the text and on standalone pages—employ a bold color palette to convey the emotions of the story through the realistically-depicted Jocelyn and secondary characters. Although it might be challenging for some young children to make the connection between bees’ work and social relationships, the book is subtle and lacks didacticism, thereby enhancing the story while conveying its theme.
Lovely and understated, perfect for a young reader’s library.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9781643438634
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
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