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BREMNER AND THE PARTY

Name: BREMNER AND THE PARTY
Author: Carrie Bolin
ISBN: 978-1-60991-209-3

by Carrie Bolin , Jessica Firpi illustrated by John Graziano ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

An amusing way to teach kids that it’s OK to make mistakes—and still have fun.

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A pufferfish gets an invitation that triggers his whirling anxieties in this picture book.

Bremner the pufferfish is a mascot of Ripley’s Aquarium, and, believe it or not, he has a bad case of social angst. He’s been invited to a party, but instead of looking forward to it, he’s overcome with worries. What if he’s the only guest, or the only one who’s nervous, or no one will talk to him? Most of all: What if he puffs up? “Don’t puff up. Don’t puff up. Don’t puff up,” he pleads with himself. Arriving, he sees a roomful of assorted sea life, plus party hats, a shark piñata, and yummy treats. Sure enough, Bremner starts to puff and—in sympathy or reaction—so do the other guests. But they laugh it off, the pictures suggest, and Bremner relaxes. (Although interpreting this from the two-page sequence of wordless illustrations is a little difficult.) Everyone returns to normal size and has a great time. In their work, Bolin (Abigail Read & Play! Activity Book, 2013) and debut author Firpi deftly capture the kinds of concerns kids have about social situations: What if I cry? What if I wet my pants? What if no one likes me? By showing that Bremner’s worst nightmare comes true, but he’s still made welcome, they put the focus on managing problems rather than avoiding them. The images by debut illustrator Graziano provide brightness, color, and wit that help to balance Bremner’s fear.

An amusing way to teach kids that it’s OK to make mistakes—and still have fun.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: 978-1-60991-209-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Ripley Publishing

Review Posted Online: April 6, 2018

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
SHARKEE AND THE TEDDY BEAR
by Carrie Bolin , Jessica Firpi illustrated by John Graziano

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SPOOKY POOKIE

by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2015

A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.

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One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.

It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.

A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: July 7, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5

Page Count: 18

Publisher: Robin Corey/Random

Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
A DANCE WITH SANTA CLAUS
by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton

- BOOK REVIEW
HIPPOS REMAIN CALM
by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton

- BOOK REVIEW
WOO HOO! YOU'RE DOING GREAT!
by Sandra Boynton ; illustrated by Sandra Boynton

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S SPRINGTIME

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 2, 2018

Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.

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Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.

This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.

Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)