Good for storytimes on honesty and sharing…even if Monkey and Owl don’t have those concepts under their fur and feathers...
Can Monkey be trusted to look after Owl’s balloon?
When Owl asks Monkey to hold their balloon, Monkey’s excited. Monkey puts the balloon in their toy sock. They tie the balloon to their sock. They hit the balloon with their sock…and the balloon pops. When Owl returns and asks for the balloon back, Monkey tries substituting other items, but neither the pillow, the chair, nor the fire engine tricks Owl. After Owl punctures all of Monkey’s prevarications, Monkey comes clean about the fate of Owl’s balloon. Owl is so angry that while Monkey is sobbing, Owl rips up Monkey’s sock! Now it’s Owl’s turn to substitute items. Bernstein and Magoon reteam for this second Owl and Monkey (and balloon) tale, following I Have a Balloon (2017), this time addressing owning up (eventually) to mistakes made. Fans of Elephant and Piggie will be right at home with the humor and the repartee (although the entirety of the text is dialogue, it is not in speech bubbles). Though the tale might not model best behavior, young listeners will identify with the two friends. Magoon’s digitally rendered illustrations are bright, dynamic, and expressive, with heavy lines, and they reinforce the characters’ emotions nicely. The two scenes where first Monkey and then Owl are overcome will have readers in stitches.
Good for storytimes on honesty and sharing…even if Monkey and Owl don’t have those concepts under their fur and feathers quite yet. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1451-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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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
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