A page-turner of an adventure story about challenging preconceived notions and building empathy and compassion.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, Freya and Sylas lived in a village in a magic kingdom where everyone feared a dragon.
Although it isn’t clear if any villagers have actually met the dragon, rumor has it that the beast is heartless, ruthless, and cruel. Unlike their fellow villagers, Freya and Sylas find the dragon fascinating as well as terrifying. The children spend hours together reading stories about the dragon, becoming dragon experts, each reassuring the other that they are interested but not afraid. When an enormous snowstorm freezes the village, Freya and Sylas are sure that the dragon is to blame. Together, they decide to scale the mountain near their village where the dragon supposedly lives—something that, in their entire village, only they are courageous enough to attempt. But when they finally reach the dragon, Freya and Sylas get a surprise: It turns out that the dragon is nothing like what anyone in their village imagined. Could it be, Freya and Sylas wonder, that the dragon isn’t evil at all? This sweet tale of adventure, courage, and compassion is a warmhearted reminder of the dangers of stereotypes and the power of perspective and hope. The manga-style illustrations are colorful and detailed—full of whimsical touches—perfectly complementing the fairy-tale–inspired prose. The story’s moral, while clear, is more lighthearted than preachy, rendering the happy ending entirely satisfying. Freya has light-brown skin and poufy brown hair; Sylas has pale skin and black hair in a topknot. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.3-by-18.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 32.1% of actual size.)
A page-turner of an adventure story about challenging preconceived notions and building empathy and compassion. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-358-27242-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
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
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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