Flower-calendar quibble aside, an optimistic, upbeat story.
Event coordinator Daisy must find a theme for the Blossom Bash that will please everyone.
While the current abundance of rain will benefit the flowers, it also poses a challenge: The accelerated, early bloom gives them less time than usual to prepare. Each fairy suggests their own flower or color to decorate Sugar Oak, putting Daisy in the unenviable role of being the deciding vote. (Gardeners will note the flowers listed are not all early spring blooms.) In the meantime, Daisy checks on other fairies’ preparations, troubleshooting their problems (from food and music decisions to recommending honey for seasonal allergies). Indigo’s garlands of materials from all over the forest inspire Daisy to go for an eclectic theme, allowing each fairy to decorate part of Sugar Oak however they wish. The full effect of the assortment, as well as the acceptance of an earlier than optimal bloom, is summed up by Daisy and stands as the story’s theme: “We all know we can’t control nature. We can only appreciate all that it gives us. And that’s what this celebration is really about!” In Kurilla’s frequent, full-color illustrations, Daisy is depicted with brown skin and blonde curls, and other fairies have skin and hair of all the colors of the rainbow; one fairy in the primary cast is male. Information about honey follows the story, as do a recipe, a dramatis personae, and some games.
Flower-calendar quibble aside, an optimistic, upbeat story. (Fantasy. 6-8)Pub Date: May 8, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-63565-132-4
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Rodale Kids
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018
A lesson that never grows old, enacted with verve by two favorite friends
Gerald the elephant learns a truth familiar to every preschooler—heck, every human: “Waiting is not easy!”
When Piggie cartwheels up to Gerald announcing that she has a surprise for him, Gerald is less than pleased to learn that the “surprise is a surprise.” Gerald pumps Piggie for information (it’s big, it’s pretty, and they can share it), but Piggie holds fast on this basic principle: Gerald will have to wait. Gerald lets out an almighty “GROAN!” Variations on this basic exchange occur throughout the day; Gerald pleads, Piggie insists they must wait; Gerald groans. As the day turns to twilight (signaled by the backgrounds that darken from mauve to gray to charcoal), Gerald gets grumpy. “WE HAVE WASTED THE WHOLE DAY!…And for WHAT!?” Piggie then gestures up to the Milky Way, which an awed Gerald acknowledges “was worth the wait.” Willems relies even more than usual on the slightest of changes in posture, layout and typography, as two waiting figures can’t help but be pretty static. At one point, Piggie assumes the lotus position, infuriating Gerald. Most amusingly, Gerald’s elephantine groans assume weighty physicality in spread-filling speech bubbles that knock Piggie to the ground. And the spectacular, photo-collaged images of the Milky Way that dwarf the two friends makes it clear that it was indeed worth the wait.
A lesson that never grows old, enacted with verve by two favorite friends . (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-9957-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An absolute pleasure.
A small dog takes a huge leap.
True to her name, sled dog puppy Leap spends her days bounding happily through blankets of freshly fallen snow, bouncily biding her time until she, too, can suit up for a run with the team. Each dog brings a different, equally essential skill to the work of mushing, and as too-young Leap greets the pack when they return from their daily hike, she worries—what if she lacks a special talent of her own when it’s her time to race? But when the much-anticipated day arrives and Leap clips in for her rookie run, her feet tippity-tap excitedly, any trace of self-doubt eclipsed by her irrepressible enthusiasm. With their new addition in tow, the other dogs take off, buoyed as ever by a confidence borne from specialized expertise; they confront obstacles head-on, sailing easily along icy Northwoods terrain. That is until the team encounters a seemingly insurmountable hurdle, one that only their greenest member can clear. Dogsled racer Braverman’s sweet narrative builds a satisfying case for individuality as a community asset, celebrating both the value of teamwork and the discrete strengths that comprise it. Savvy readers will take pride in predicting Leap’s unique contribution, while canine lovers will delight in the revelation that the pups depicted are all real-life sled dogs working in northern Wisconsin. When’s illustrations are equal parts spellbinding and precious, deftly balancing compositional simplicity with masterful color work. The result is peerless.
An absolute pleasure. (author’s note) (Picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9780063238053
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
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