A soothing, natural setting adds to the charm of this sweet, playful book that makes vigorous and profitable use of rhyming...
A pair of siblings, along with their mother and grandmother, share an exciting day at the park.
Two brown-skinned, brown-eyed siblings with Afro-textured hair sit in the grass observing the natural world: One regards a “Big-eyed bug” (a butterfly), the other a “Stalk-eyed slug.” Each following rhyming couplet also includes, often cleverly, the use of the word “eyed,” as the book focuses on the wonders of the natural world and park activities from a sighted perspective. The refrain, “Busy-eyed day at the park,” repeats every few spreads, while the siblings enjoy park fun such as swings and slides as well as less-pleasant pastimes like getting hurt. The illustrations (a combination of digital and hand-drawn techniques) set a tone of pastoral tranquility in the middle of a city, where the pair observe and enjoy various animals and their antics. The book makes a subtle but important point about diversity by depicting the kids’ brown-skinned grandmother as “Blue-eyed.” A particularly humorous set of spreads starts with the sister eyeing a spider’s web with suspicion. The next spread reveals the girl, shocked and possibly horrified, as she meets an arachnid with “Six-eyes? Eight-eyes!” The next spread declares in extra-large font, “See you later,” as the girl and her grandma head off in the opposite direction: “No more spiders. No more bugs.”
A soothing, natural setting adds to the charm of this sweet, playful book that makes vigorous and profitable use of rhyming text. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5903-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
