A slice-of-life tale that showcases a locale with a rich history.
A mother hen raises her babies in a Florida restaurant patio in Schiller’s debut picture book, based on a true story.
Henrietta, a black hen, and Cock-a-Doodle-Do, a white rooster, are a mated pair in the tourist town of Ybor City, Florida. The town, says the narrator, long ago became home to various immigrants who “loved their new country, their community and their new lives. They also loved their chickens.” Indeed, the birds are tourist attractions, so residents are careful not to harm them. Henrietta and Cock-a-Doodle-Do scout several locations that aren’t quite right for hatching chicks before settling in at the “World Famous Gaspar’s Grotto, the notorious pirate bar of Ybor City,” a real-life establishment that the author owns. Captain Ehab (a stand-in for Schiller) quickly finds ways to protect the chickens amid weekend crowds, and soon, the eggs hatch three black and three white chicks. This illustrated story has the feel of Robert McCloskey’s classic Make Way for Ducklings (1941) but with more challenging vocabulary and setin a very different part of the United States. Balbás’ realistic, grayscale cartoon images capture the unique setting and the personalities of fowl and humans alike. Overall, Schiller offers a deft celebration of immigrants that highlights respect for others and acceptance of differences.
A slice-of-life tale that showcases a locale with a rich history.Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-64749-127-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Go to Publish
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
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