A cute and clever autumnal outing with a metafictive twist.
Riffing on the double meaning of the word fall, this tale finds Humpty Dumpty reveling in autumn’s pleasures.
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,” declares an unseen narrator as the giant egg, clad in rust-colored overalls and a yellow shirt, smiles sleepily. Humpty is soon wobbling, and the narrator continues: “Humpty Dumpty had a great…” As the page turns, little ones will grin when the expected tumble doesn’t occur. Instead, our hero gracefully hops off the wall to “take a closer peek at the foliage.” All the while, though, Humpty wonders if there isn’t something else he ought to be doing. But what? He heads home, and an encounter with a fiddling Cat (of “Hey Diddle Diddle” renown) reminds Humpty that it’s time to rake the leaves. The egg man returns to his wall, inspiring several more rounds of the now-familiar formula: the unfinished rhyme, a surprise ending that sees Humpty involved in a new autumnal task, and that nagging sensation that he should be doing something else. Moore and Cleland mine humor from the repetition of the gag as Humpty engages in fall activities such as apple-picking, joined by brown-skinned Jack and Jill, brown-skinned Miss Muffet, and light-skinned, red-haired Bo-Peep, among others. Simple cartoon art sets a wholesome tone and complements the text, which ends with a happy nod to wordplay. Children old enough to recognize nursery rhyme allusions will have a ball.
A cute and clever autumnal outing with a metafictive twist. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9781662527968
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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