Even with a room-cleaning moral, this mystery delivers plenty of fun.
Two determined sisters try to figure out who messed up their rooms in this debut picture book.
Joann is shocked to wake up to a messy room. Ready to blame her little sister, Jane, she charges down the hall—but her sibling’s room is a mess, too. Eager to discover why their rooms are such disasters, they seek out clues, first from their father, then their mother and grandfather, and finally London Dog. When London Dog gets up for breakfast, the girls find another clue: candy wrappers. Once they think through their day, they realize that they left candy where London Dog could find it instead of putting it away. The solved case leads the girls to believe they could make it as detectives. Mayes offers enough clues and amusement as the girls search for answers to keep the moral from feeling too heavy-handed. He also sprinkles key details in the narrative early enough to give readers a chance to solve the mystery before the sleuths. The smooth text is approachable for newly independent readers, and the painterly digital illustrations by McDaniel have eye-catching appeal that will have the audience looking for extra clues. The middle-class, biracial, intergenerational family is especially well drawn. Mom is White with ginger hair and brown eyes while Dad and Grandpa have curly hair and sepia brown skin. The girls’ skin tones fall between those pigments.
Even with a room-cleaning moral, this mystery delivers plenty of fun.Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-73254-670-7
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Lit Genius
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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