An oft-told tale in fire-truck form. It’s earnest, but it fizzles.
When a tiny green-and-white pumper joins the fire crew, the captain truck doubts his abilities.
Firehouse No. 10 seems as though it has all the fire trucks it needs. Capt. Chuck is a large hook and ladder, Emily (stereotypically depicted as the sole truck with eyelashes) is the equipment truck, and Rudy carries the chemical foam. But there is word that a new truck is coming. “Oh, no, no, no!” moans Capt. Chuck. “This will not do! I’m very happy with my crew, crew, crew!” Poor little Kai, a tiny pumper, is doomed before he starts. Plus, the others are a gleaming red, and he is green and white. How will he ever fit in? On his first night in the station, he grabs some red crayons and scribbles himself a new coat. The two other trucks admire his ingenuity, but the captain shouts, “underneath that crayon you’re still white and green. I don’t think you’re right for our team, team, team.” Despite the harsh words, Kai perseveres and proves his worth when, during a fire, he fits into a tight spot that none of the other trucks can reach. Yamada’s animation background shines through in the cartoon trucks reminiscent of Disney’s Cars. Capt. Chuck’s rhymed, thrice-repeated words continue (bafflingly, he’s the only one who speaks this way), but the rhythm becomes increasingly jarring as he gets nicer (perhaps compliments are difficult).
An oft-told tale in fire-truck form. It’s earnest, but it fizzles. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-81636-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.
An angry child attempts to calm down.
A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9798217042142
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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