Dive headfirst into the lush pages of this rainforest read.
Join the lively (and moist) celebration of one of the rainforest’s most overlooked habitats: the bromeliad pool.
Rain dances down through the dense canopy, forming a small puddle on the leaf of a bromeliad plant (“A bro-ma-what?” asks a nearby insect). And just like that, invitations to the miniature pool party are spread far and wide. Though it may not seem like much, this tiny puddle is absolutely brimming with life. A tree frog starts off the festivities by laying her eggs in the pool, followed by algae and microbes that feast on “party platters of decomposing leaves.” Before long, everything from tiny protozoa to whooping howler monkeys have joined the soiree, using the pool as a source of food or shelter. Cool blues and rich greens burst from the acrylic, marker, and pencil collage illustrations, featuring cute critters that pop from the page. Full visual spreads with individually labeled creatures complement comic-style panels with quippy speech bubbles and bouncing prose, like the “millipedes [that] mingled in moss.” Changing scenes, shifting palettes, and headings indicate the passage of time throughout the year’s changing seasons. Certain to appeal to the most curious of readers, this stunning addition to the Tiny Habitats series will make a wonderful storytime offering.
Dive headfirst into the lush pages of this rainforest read. (more about bromeliad pools, additional reading, selected sources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781665935043
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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 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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