by Anuska Allepuz ; illustrated by Anuska Allepuz ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2020
A good pick even for picky readers.
Little Donkey lives out the adage that you are what you eat, with humorous outcomes.
Little Donkey is a finicky eater and will eat only green grass. Mom tries to convince her child to try other foods, to no avail. Humorous illustrations show that Little Donkey’s exclusive overconsumption of grass causes a dramatic transformation. When Little Donkey sees a decidedly green reflection in the pond, the young equine panics, rolling in mud and leaves to try to conceal the greenness. Mom sees right through this ruse—Little Donkey’s green snout is clearly and comically visible. This finally prompts Little Donkey to try other foods, but none appeal—until Little Donkey tries carrots. Careful readers may have noticed the carrots decorating the front endpapers and will delight to see this newfound favorite food. Alas, trying and loving carrots does not break Little Donkey’s trying trait. Young readers will not be surprised to see the protagonist overindulging so that the once-green hide turns orange. “Great,” Little Donkey says on the final page, delivering a funny ending if not a sign of growth. Throughout, Allepuz’s colorful illustrations augment the text’s humor, especially in a spread akin to a centerfold that shows Little Donkey’s alarm at being all green, head-to-hoof.
A good pick even for picky readers. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0937-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
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by Jimmy Fallon ; illustrated by Miguel Ordóñez ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 9, 2015
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.
A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.
A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
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SEEN & HEARD
by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 13, 2024
A droll exploration of color and nature—and a welcome reminder to safeguard our planet.
Daywalt and Jeffers’ wildly popular Crayons have an important ecological message.
Though climate change is never mentioned, the book nevertheless gently introduces responsibility for Planet Earth. As in previous titles, the main text is in a large black font, while the Crayons’ dialogue is presented in a smaller, gray font. Blue begins by showing off a blue-tinged image of the globe (land masses are depicted in a darker hue). Green takes over: “Yay, Trees! I did those!” Beige breaks in, pointing to a tiny wheat plant next to two large trees: “And wheat! I did the WHEAT!” Beige puts wheat front and center throughout—even on White’s drawing of mountaintop ice caps. When Red, Yellow, and Orange display drawings of various fruits, Beige interjects, “And WHEAT. Wheat is totally fruit.” Diplomatic Purple politely responds, “Um. NO. It is not.” Purple attempts to dissuade self-important Beige, but it all ends happily as the Crayons join hands and proclaim: “Our planet has all of us too, in many shapes, colors, and sizes.” Beige and Purple reconcile, with Beige adding, “And it’s our job to keep the planet safe.” Young children will easily absorb this positive message. Although these characters have had many outings, their quiet humor still succeeds, and fans will definitely want this new entry.
A droll exploration of color and nature—and a welcome reminder to safeguard our planet. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593621080
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
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