A hamster firefighting success story—for readers seeking one.
Can this hamster achieve his lifelong dream?
Hugo is a hamster (one who, as pictured, sits in chairs, reads books, and eats chocolate-chip cookies). While he is “helpful, polite, generous, a great cook, a fast runner, a slow eater, and a fantastic dancer,” he is not “strong, tall, able to sing, or particularly good at bowling.” And he is not, despite a passion for helping others and a lifelong interest in fighting fires, a firefighter. Though it might be difficult, Hugo isn’t too afraid to try—and prove that maybe hamsters do fight fires. Like the many other stories in which animals aspire to do unbelievable things (commonly dance but also jump, fly, or befriend their natural prey), Hugo’s tale aims to inspire children to recognize their strengths and defy expectations. This telling requires a little extra suspension of disbelief, as Root’s text and Olien’s boldly colored digital illustrations feature a good dose of the absurd. Hugo’s friend Scarlett is a snake, and the climactic moment finds Hugo carrying a baby bird of his size (although this is not actually shown in the illustrations, perhaps because it might just be too absurd). Hugo, despite many positive qualities, is not an especially endearing hero, with his bulging eyes and long furry limbs belying an actual hamster’s rotund appeal.
A hamster firefighting success story—for readers seeking one. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-245294-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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