A marvelous method for encouraging even the smallest weirdos to find their people.
An existence of pleasingly dull normality is upended when a gastropod becomes a creature of the night.
Bob lives an uneventful snail life until one evening, after a series of sounds—a scream, three stomps, a crack, a drip, and a “POOF!”—he finds himself utterly changed. Bob is now a vampire! He’s also an outcast among the other snails (“He seems so complicated”), and he must figure out all the things a vampire can and cannot do. When he finally realizes that sucking tomatoes dry is his wont (a nod to James and Deborah Howe’s Bunnicula, perhaps?) and that he can fly and hypnotize rats into getting him more food, he perks up. Still, he doesn’t really have a friend. Will he ever find one? Zuill’s natural propensity for hilarity shines strong and true, particularly in the artwork—a blend of realism and cartoonish fun. Adding to the visual jokes and snappy text, a small bug offers context on vampires for young readers, the occasional snail fact, and some zippy commentary (“I’m not sure it’s good for anyone to try to eat a bear unless you’re a professional”). Dedicated to “all those kids who, like me, prefer their books a little bit spooky,” it may fill that need, but it will find its true calling in those autumnal storytimes in need of something both funny and surprisingly touching.
A marvelous method for encouraging even the smallest weirdos to find their people. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9780593814963
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations.
Bergren and Bryant attempt to explain Easter to young children in a gentle, nonthreatening manner, with partial success.
When Little Cub questions her father about Easter, Papa Bear explains the religious significance of the holiday in various symbolic ways to his cub. He uses familiar things from their world, such as an egg and a fallen tree, to draw parallels with aspects of the Christian story. Papa Bear discusses his close relationships with Jesus and God, encouraging Little Cub to communicate with God on her own. The theme focuses on the renewal of life and the positive aspects of loving God and Jesus. Easter is presented as a celebration of eternal life, but the story skirts the issue of the crucifixion entirely. Some adults will find this an inadequate or even dishonest approach to the Easter story, but others will appreciate the calm and soothing text as a way to begin to understand a difficult subject. Bryant’s charming watercolor illustrations of the polar bear family, their cozy home and snowy forest scenes add to the overall mellow effect.
Fans of this popular series will find this a rewarding addition to family Easter celebrations. (Religion/picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-307-73072-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: WaterBrook
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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