A very simple story, enhanced by fun imagery.
In Brown’s picture book, a boy learns about responsibility.
Young Carter lives on a farm with his dad and grandpa, who are all portrayed with pale skin. When he gets the opportunity to drive Old Faithful, his grandfather’s tractor, he’s eager to show how fast he can stack hay in the field—but he disregards instructions to proceed gently and avoid the mud, and his dad and grandpa are upset: “The bales were full of HOLES, the outer wrap was RIPPED, and Old Faithful was covered in MUD from bouncing through the field.” Carter fibs that the holes were already there, and both adults take him aside and remind him to slow down and listen to instructions. Dad and Carter work on the next field together and stack each bale without incident. After washing mud off Old Faithful, Carter apologizes to the tractor for lying and vows that it won’t happen again. Attema-Welte’s watercolor-style illustrations are charming, and an image of partying chickens wrecking the hay bales is particularly brilliant; the various color choices—from bright greens and yellows to cloudy grays and purples—deftly convey Carter’s feelings. The art enhances a basic message to follow directions, listen to adults, and not lie. Kids who love tractors will surely be delighted.
A very simple story, enhanced by fun imagery.Pub Date: Jan. 25, 2026
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted.
Imagination soars—quite literally—when a little girl follows her own set of rules.
Every year Oak Hill School has a go-kart race called the Going Places contest. Students are given identical go-kart kits with a precise set of instructions. And of course, every single kart ends up exactly the same. Every one, that is, except Maya’s. Maya is a dreamy artist, and she would rather sketch birds in her backyard than get caught up in the competition. When she finally does start working, she uses the parts in the go-kart box but creates something completely different. No one ever said it had to be a go-kart. Maya’s creative thinking inspires Rafael, her neighbor (and the most enthusiastic Going Places contestant), to ask to team up. The instructions never say they couldn’t work together, either! An ode to creativity and individuality to be sure, but the Reynolds brothers are also taking a swipe at modern education: Endless repetition and following instructions without question create a culture of conformity. Hopefully now, readers will see infinite possibility every time the system hands them an identical go-kart box.
Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-6608-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
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