Buglette is neat and precise during the day, but each morning she awakens to a messy bed that reflects the big dreams of the night before.
Driving a construction machine leads to a mountain of blankets, and kicking a ball over the moon leaves her pillow teetering on a branch. Her parents tend to be heavy handed with guilt-inducing comments, comparing her to her brothers, who are “neat little sleepers,” and sighing over “how we ended up with a messy sleeper.” They also plant the seed of blame when they suggest that her nighttime movements might wake up their feared predator, the crow. Her brothers make an attempt to “put a lid” on her, but the result is near disaster when the crow makes his move. Buglette bravely saves them all by emulating her intrepid dream self. Murguia’s tale sends mixed messages. Messy sleeping may be an issue for bugs, but it probably won't resonate with humans, and literal-minded young readers will not be able to project any alternate interpretations. Mama Bug’s attitude is especially problematic and obfuscates the apparent theme of celebrating differences and dreaming of possibilities. The watercolor illustrations in nature’s colors are appealing, and Buglette’s action-packed dreams are charmingly depicted. They also serve to provide a visual interpretation that, perhaps, rises above the text. Here's hoping Murguia’s next book has a clarity of text that matches the illustrations. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: May 10, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58246-375-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2011
Giving has never been so gratifying.
Hare is certain that sharing is pointless. Can anything cause a change of heart?
Turnips bring Hare great pleasure, and the cranky, enormous-eared orange creature greedily hoards them: “The more I give away, the less there is for ME.” When newly arrived rabbits inquire if Hare can spare some produce until they get settled, the protagonist doesn’t relent. Other animals pitch in, however, and the newcomers cook stew for all. Their generosity perplexes Hare: Why would anyone with such meager resources offer food to others? Small’s descriptive, third-person narrative contrasts well with the rhyming dialogue. His animation background shines through in clean compositions that are by turn whimsical (a stovetop espresso maker accompanies Hare during nighttime gardening stints) and dramatic. Set against black backgrounds, these nocturnal views showcase vibrant vegetation patterns and introduce danger in the form of a greedy boar who steals the turnips Hare is carrying. As the boar heads toward the rabbits’ carrot crop, Hare hatches a plan to foil the thief and save the day. The sight of the tip of the boar’s menacing snout pushed into the rabbit warren as the new friends cower together is a cinematic marvel. Hare’s transformation is believable, and although our hero’s selflessness results in an empty turnip patch, what the character gains more than compensates.
Giving has never been so gratifying. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781665972932
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Totes adorbs.
A cuddly, squishy pug’s puggy-wuggy diary.
Equipped with both #pugunicorn and #pughotdog outfits, pug Baron von Bubbles (aka Bub) is the kind of dog that always dresses to impress. Bub also makes lots of memorable faces, such as the “Hey, you’re not the boss of me!” expression aimed at Duchess, the snooty pink house cat. Some of Bub’s favorite things include skateboarding, a favorite teddy, and eating peanut butter. Bub also loves Bella, who adopted Bub from a fair—it was “love at first sniff.” Together, Bub and Bella do a lot of arts and crafts. Their latest project: entering Bella’s school’s inventor challenge by making a super-duper awesome rocket. But, when the pesky neighborhood squirrel, Nutz, makes off with Bub’s bear, Bub accidentally ruins their project. How will they win the contest? More importantly, how will Bella ever forgive him? May’s cutesy, full-color cartoon art sets the tone for this pug-tastic romp for the new-to–chapter-books crowd. Emojilike faces accentuate Bub’s already expressive character design. Bub’s infectious first-person narration pushes the silly factor off the charts. In addition to creating the look and feel of a diary, the lined paper helps readers follow the eight-chapter story. Most pages have fewer than five sentences, often broken into smaller sections. Additional text appears in color-coded speech bubbles. Bella presents white.
Totes adorbs. (Fiction. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-53003-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
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