An action-packed introduction to a young lemur and his family that might not be very different from readers’ own.
A playful story set in a faraway place about lemurs, love, and family.
It’s hard to miss Little Lemur as the star of this book. In the first image, his large smiling face peers through rainforest foliage and a leaf balances on his head like a jaunty beret. Uncluttered illustrations with stylized, simplified landscapes and solid backgrounds form the backdrop for an active day in Little Lemur’s life. He and the rest of his lemur family have large, expressive eyes, and their striking ringed tails sometimes intertwine to create hearts. Most female lemurs have a flower tucked behind one ear, and Grandma wears glasses, but their behavior is pure lemur. Or it is? Rhyming couplets weave in the facts of Little Lemur’s life (young lemurs are pups, and Little Lemur’s family group is a troop) and allow readers to observe Little Lemur’s day as he is snuggled, fed, and groomed. He nurses and eats figs and crickets. He climbs, tussles, and chases with siblings and cousins, and sometimes he needs help. Readers will have to rotate the book 90 degrees to take in the illustration revealing the dizzying height of the scary cliff where Little Lemur is stranded. Flowing couplets include unusual words for vocabulary building and discussion (tamarind, gambol, tweak, beckon), and creative wordsmithing captures lemur antics (“Auntie beckons Little Lemur to prancity-prance. / The whole troop joins in their jump-jump dance”) and the book’s overriding theme of familial love. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An action-packed introduction to a young lemur and his family that might not be very different from readers’ own. (further facts) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-374-38847-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
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Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!
Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781454999621
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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