A charming and creative lesson about building self-esteem.
Simmonds addresses childhood angst in a picture book about a young boy and a big-footed lizard.
Caius wants to play, but his two older brothers are finishing their chores. In his treehouse, the boy is sad, but then he hears a sob that isn’t his own. Soon, he and his brothers discover a talking purple lizard: “I’m so lonely,” the lizard explains. “No one wants to play with me.” The fact that the lizard has big feet makes her sad. A brown rabbit wearing a hat and bow tie pops out of its burrow and shares a story of the lizard’s grandfather, who also had big feet: “He held those feet up like an umbrella” to keep “ants and baby lizards from the great storm.” The lizard becomes proud of her own feet but begins to worry that a storm might not come to show them off. The brothers wonder if Lizzy, as she becomes known, has other talents; sure enough, she has a “powerful kick” when playing soccer. The family camps out with Caius’ new friend as Caius finds his own sense of confidence. Simmonds imaginatively combines the stories of a talking lizard and a shy child to give voice to an issue that kids will find relatable. Lizzy draws young readers into the story, offering a lesson in which finding one’s “inner strength” succeeds. Dale’s painterly illustrations are vivid, and they complement the text nicely; Caius and his family are portrayed as Black, and next-door neighbor Luis is shown with brown skin. Caius’ sadness is clearly visible on his face, as is his joy as the story goes on.
A charming and creative lesson about building self-esteem.Pub Date: Dec. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781735029542
Page Count: 32
Publisher: INOT Productions, Inc.
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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
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