Serviceable content slightly marred by inconsistent illustrations.
One dog shows another dog the ins and outs of friendship.
When Big Dog meets Little Dog, Big Dog says “Be my friend.” But “What is a friend?” Little Dog asks. Well, as Big Dog explains, friends “have fun!” They ride the train to the zoo. They board the bus to see boats. They even take a rocket to the moon. Illustrations depict the pair of canines engaging in each of the activities. When snow comes one day, Big Dog decides to take a bath. Little Dog gets his boots and goes out the door alone. The page turns, and—“Oh, no!”—Little Dog falls and gets buried in the snow. Big Dog hears Little Dog’s bark (“WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!”). But can he find and rescue his new friend? This endearing friendship story is Myers’ first new work in decades. The limited vocabulary of around 70 words and their variants and the circular plot make the text accessible to emerging readers. Though the loosely drawn cartoon illustrations are playful, some inconsistencies are distracting. Still, the ample white space and limited color palette add to the text’s accessibility. Most pages feature only animals, but those that depict children show a variety of skin tones. Even though both dogs are anthropomorphic, Big Dog wears only a sweater, and Little Dog wears no clothing.
Serviceable content slightly marred by inconsistent illustrations. (Early reader. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4451-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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