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WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT

Name: WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT
Author: Analía Kevorkian

by Analía Kevorkian illustrated by Horacio Gatto developed by Zentric ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2011

Great story idea, beautiful and well-functioning graphics—but mildly lacking in delivery.

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A child lies in bed contemplating what various nighttime sounds might be.

Lights are switched off, no one else is around and strange noises fuel an already-jumpy imagination. In this story, the protagonist hears assorted sounds and imagines numerous dangers and crises. Perhaps there’s a wild animal loose, and the police are chasing it. There's been an earthquake—but rescuers are on the way. Each presumption is fueled by everyday sounds, including a passing motorcycle, a whistling teakettle and footsteps on stairs. Each disruption is introduced by an image of what is really making the noise, followed by the protagonist’s ever-more-bloodshot eyes staring out of the dark; his thoughts appear as sentences that curl around his eyes, so he is literally surrounded by his fears. The story clearly demonstrates that many fears are silly conjectures that have no basis in fact. It’s likely to spawn conversations about being afraid of the dark—or anything, for that matter. Native English speakers may find the narrator’s heavy accent distracting (she refers to a “wild and hang-ry animal,” talks rapidly and even sounds downright sultry at times). The story can be narrated or read in English, Spanish or Italian, and the read- and record-it-myself options include original sound effects. Marionette-like characters, well-crafted animation and angled, floating text add significant graphic appeal. There’s even a painting feature that allows creations to be emailed directly from the iPad.

Great story idea, beautiful and well-functioning graphics—but mildly lacking in delivery. (iPad storybook app. 4-9)

Pub Date: June 17, 2011

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Zentric

Review Posted Online: July 20, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2011

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LOST AND FOUND

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.

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Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.

After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026

ISBN: 9780063436121

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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DOG DAYS

From the Carver Chronicles series , Vol. 1

by Karen English ; illustrated by Laura Freeman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 17, 2013

This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...

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A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.

Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.

This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)