An intriguing addition to any collection of seek-and-find children’s books.
Grandad is at a loss to find his Christmas ornaments before his grandkids arrive.
The two children are coming to help him decorate. The three of them—anthropomorphic dogs with faces reminiscent of the Poky Little Puppy’s—search through the clutter for the missing ornaments. (Grandad is a bit of a hoarder.) Young readers are invited to help search the busy pages for the lost ornaments. The missing decorations are all pictured at the front of the book to help with the search. Bright colors and densely packed pages mask more than Christmas decorations, though, and children will find much to empathize with. Grandad’s messy, ramshackle house, with its cracked windows, patched-together banisters, and holes in the ceilings, is overflowing with stuff. Grandad’s wistful expression hints that what may be lost is Christmases from happier times. Indeed, the ornaments are all of an old-fashioned style, and the objects that fill the house are primarily toys, yet Grandad seems to live alone. The rather peculiar color scheme ranges from muted, monochromatic endpapers to an almost garishly fluorescent interior. The engaging text runs along the bottoms of the pages, and an invitation to find one more ornament is on the copyright page at the end of the book.
An intriguing addition to any collection of seek-and-find children’s books. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-451-47904-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series.
Another creature is on the loose.
The long-running series continues its successful formula with this Hallmark card of a book, which features bright illustrations and catchy rhymes. This time, the mythical creature the racially diverse children set out to catch is an absent mom who does it all (lists of descriptors include the words banker, caregiver, nurse, doctor, driver, chef, housekeeper, teacher, entertainer, playmate, laundry service, problem solver, handywoman, cleaner, and alarm clock) but doesn’t seem to have a job outside the home and is inexplicably a dinosaur. As the children prepare gifts and a meal for her, the text becomes an ode to the skills the Mamasaurus possesses (“Day or night she’s always there. / She meets every wish and need”) and values she instills (“Sometimes life can mean hard work,” “kindness matters,” and “what counts is doing your best”). This well-intentioned selection veers into cliche generously sprinkled with saccharine but manages to redeem itself with its appreciation for mothers and all that they may do. Endpapers include a “to” and “from” page framed in a heart, as well as a page where young gift givers or recipients can draw a picture of their Mamasaurus.
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781728274300
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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