Readers probably won’t be curious enough to revisit this story after the first time.
A mechanical bear’s curiosity doesn’t run like clockwork.
On a tower high above a town, Elbert is one of five bears that parade in and out of a clock on the stroke of every hour. His companions steadfastly carry out their marching duties; Elbert doesn’t, constantly distracted by myriad wonders. When his unquenchable curiosity disrupts routines badly, his fellows give him 24 hours to dispose of it or risk permanent banishment. On the ground, new experiences engender many new questions, but what to do with curiosity? Elbert tries various disappearing methods, but, frustratingly, nothing works…until, finally, something does—to his and the other bears’ benefit. This is an odd tale, with jarring elements. Curiosity isn’t portrayed altogether positively, and punitive aspects—threat of exile, Elbert’s self-reproach—may seem harsh or confusing. The story’s conclusion, however, reassures that curiosity is acceptable and rewarded with treats and a walkabout for all, suggesting Elbert’s clockwork partners will thereafter strut happily. The pencil and digitally colored illustrations serve the tale serviceably, with Elbert depicted as blue and inexpressive. (He is an automaton.) His smart, reflective questions appear in italics to differentiate them from the otherwise lackluster narrative. Frequent depictions of analog-clock faces throughout should pique the curiosity of readers/listeners who will ask what time the clocks show or proudly demonstrate their own prowess.
Readers probably won’t be curious enough to revisit this story after the first time. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-525-51398-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Nov. 20, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts.
Ohtani, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, teams up with Blank and Liem to tell the story of how his dog, Decoy, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
It’s a big day! Decoy leaps “off the bed. Then back onto the bed. Then off the bed.” The enthusiastic pup heads outside to practice with his lucky baseball but is quickly distracted by squirrels (“we’ll play later!”), airplanes (“flyin’ high!”), and flowers (“smell ya soon!”). Dog and pitcher then head to the ballpark. In the locker room, Decoy high-paws Shohei’s teammates. It’s nearly time! But as Shohei prepares to warm up, Decoy realizes that he’s forgotten something important: his lucky ball. Without it, there will be “no championships, no parades, and no hot dogs!” Back home he goes, returning just in time. With Shohei at the plate, Decoy runs from the mound to his owner, rolling the ball into Shohei’s mitt for a “Striiiiike!” Related from a dog’s point of view, Ohtani and Blank’s energetic text lends the tale a sense of urgency and suspense. Liem’s illustrations capture the excitement of the first day of baseball season and the joys of locker room camaraderie, as well as Shohei and Decoy’s mutual affection—even when the ball is drenched in slobber, Shohei’s love for his pet shines through, and clearly, Decoy is focused when it matters.
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063460775
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
As ephemeral as a valentine.
Daywalt and Jeffers’ wandering crayons explore love.
Each double-page spread offers readers a vision of one of the anthropomorphic crayons on the left along with the statement “Love is [color].” The word love is represented by a small heart in the appropriate color. Opposite, childlike crayon drawings explain how that color represents love. So, readers learn, “love is green. / Because love is helpful.” The accompanying crayon drawing depicts two alligators, one holding a recycling bin and the other tossing a plastic cup into it, offering readers two ways of understanding green. Some statements are thought-provoking: “Love is white. / Because sometimes love is hard to see,” reaches beyond the immediate image of a cat’s yellow eyes, pink nose, and black mouth and whiskers, its white face and body indistinguishable from the paper it’s drawn on, to prompt real questions. “Love is brown. / Because sometimes love stinks,” on the other hand, depicted by a brown bear standing next to a brown, squiggly turd, may provoke giggles but is fundamentally a cheap laugh. Some of the color assignments have a distinctly arbitrary feel: Why is purple associated with the imagination and pink with silliness? Fans of The Day the Crayons Quit (2013) hoping for more clever, metaliterary fun will be disappointed by this rather syrupy read.
As ephemeral as a valentine. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 24, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5247-9268-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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