Memorably reclaims a timeless tale highlighting clever resourcefulness.
Tokki and Jara match wits in this mischievous retelling of an ancient Korean tale.
Whether stealing Farmer Kim’s strawberries or outrunning hungry predators, carefree Tokki (Korean for rabbit/hare) always escapes. Deep in the sea, meticulous Jara (softshell turtle) is all about order and routine—until his calm existence is disrupted by the news that the Sea King is sick. The only cure? Eating Tokki’s liver. “I can navigate well on land,” says Jara. “I should go for the adventu—I mean, for our Sea King!” When he finds Tokki, Jara easily coaxes him into the sea with flattery and promises of treasures. Realizing he’s been trapped down under, Tokki plans his escape (and also takes home plenty of gold and jewels). Korean American author/illustrator Kim presents a more equitable version of the classic story, recognizing Tokki’s shrewdness but also rewarding Jara’s loyalty and sense of adventure. Kim’s digitally collaged mixed-media illustrations create profusely colorful pages. She deftly incorporates humor, from Jara’s Sea King tchotchkes to Tokki’s culinarily trendy scatological solution. Both rivals are notably bookish—Tokki’s bookshelf includes The Trickster and The Tale of Two Tricksters; among Jara’s aspirational escapist tomes is Travelogue of Kim Keum Won, a Joseon Dynasty classic. Kim’s author’s note discusses the story’s origins.
Memorably reclaims a timeless tale highlighting clever resourcefulness. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2026
ISBN: 9781250446367
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Godwin Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
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More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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