An enchanting romp sure to inspire reenactments with lucky stuffed or real animals.
Who doesn’t like to imagine the secret nocturnal celebrations of forest creatures?
This translation of a French Canadian title opens with the coolness of stylized woodland greenery giving way to the heat of a brilliant orange fireball setting in the sky. Five gray rabbits emerge from their home, each with a backpack that cannot quite contain what looks like a puff of blue cotton candy. The majority of the compositions fill the double-page spreads except for a white border at the bottom where the minimal text often encourages engagement: “Where are they going?” Later: “What are they making?” The blue fluff surrounds small balls of light that are dropped into an underground factory, where a conveyor belt transports them for finishing touches. Bunnies in hard hats using tools or consulting sky charts create a productive atmosphere. In another section they operate a printing press, churning out papers that read “Full Moon.” These quietly joyful animals are ones you want to know. Invitations are delivered to the birds, mice, foxes—all are welcome. When everyone is assembled and the moon rises, the small, blue-and-white lanterns float upward from holes in the earth; birds break into song. Friendly faces, luscious forest backdrops, and dazzling points of light dancing around a glowing moon cast a magical aura over the moment. As a new day dawns, readers are summoned to the next party.
An enchanting romp sure to inspire reenactments with lucky stuffed or real animals. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-61689-999-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!
Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781454999621
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
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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