A humorous tale that will encourage young readers, especially girls, to pursue science—and trust that they have unique...
Twersky (Curlee Girlee, 2016) and Wolcott’s (My Funny Ears, 2016, etc.) spiral-haired protagonist makes a triumphant return in a sequel about finding and embracing your talents.
Curlee Girlee, a pink-wearing, curly haired girly girl, is incredibly excited about her first day of “big-kid school”: first grade. But of course, her hair won’t cooperate. After a run-in with her annoying brother, Curlee turns to her big sister, who helps her tame her locks with magical barrettes. In first grade, she’s happy to be reunited with her kindergarten friends, but when her teacher announces a talent show, she worries: “I’m not good at anything but making a big mess.” She tries to copy her friends’ talents: Tai does ballet, Josie sings, and Henry does magic tricks, but each of Curlee’s attempts goes wrong. She finally has the idea that science could be her talent and steals her brother’s science kit. She first practices making a volcano at home under her mother’s watchful eye and later creates one on her own in class—an effort that turns out to be a huge hit with her friends and her new teacher. Curlee’s class is wonderfully diverse in both its talents and its ethnic representation, though the students have a strange aversion to science for first graders. Wolcott’s soft-edged, digital illustrations, as in the first Curlee Girlee book, perfectly capture their young heroine’s attitude. They also show that there’s no conflict between girls’ liking pink and sparkles and being great at science—and that being messy in the right way can encourage others to make experiments of their own. Twersky’s vocabulary and simple sentences make this a good choice for newly independent readers, who may be dealing with their own fears about fitting in or with finding a way to be special. Some readers may find it odd that Curlee’s mother doesn’t scold her (or impose other consequences) for the theft of her brother’s science kit, but Twersky once again shows a lively girl and a loving family.
A humorous tale that will encourage young readers, especially girls, to pursue science—and trust that they have unique talents.Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-9968438-4-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sandbox Publishing LLC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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