A gentle, encouraging tale of determination and difference.
Uno the one-legged spider is determined to take part in the big race in the Huddlestons’ graphic novel for young readers.
Every year, Uno the spider’s town of Gleewood Glen hosts multiple races for its residents. The upcoming big race is “my favorite race of the year,” he tells his mom, “mainly because I have the best chance of winning this one.” There’s just one problem: He needs a new shoe for his single foot. Unfortunately, Uno’s mom isn’t able to provide him with what he needs, because his eight-legged younger brother has worn out his footwear, and she can’t afford to shoe both of them. This puts a damper on Uno’s plans, but he maintains his optimism—until he comes home from school to discover that disaster has struck: His pet ant has eaten his one remaining shoe. Uno’s mom then suggests that he look for odd jobs around town to earn money for sneakers. He approaches local tradespeople, offering to help in their shops. He begins working at the bakery, milling flour, doing the marketing, and sweeping the floor. After he receives his payment, he moves on to the pet shop, and then the local restaurant. The shoe store is Uno’s last stop, but he finds he still doesn’t have enough to pay for his new sneaker—he’ll need to come up with a solution quickly if he wants to make it in time for the starting whistle. This graphic novel successfully creates a simple but charming world, with log-shaped school buses and Techno Termite trading cards, an inclusive place that offers opportunities to characters with different body types. Uno may only have one leg, but in his world, this doesn’t appear to be a disability—it’s just another part of his life. The stakes do feel low in the story; while the race is very important to Uno, it never seems like he won’t be able to fulfill his goal. Courtney Huddleston’s colorful illustrations are reminiscent of an animated children’s television show.
A gentle, encouraging tale of determination and difference.Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9798988888703
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Readers Huddle
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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