Warmhearted but less than satisfying.
Poor Alfred needs a friend.
No one ever visits Alfred; he’s sure it’s because his yard is barren. He tries and fails to grow flowers like his friend Lulu, who receives a constant stream of visitors to her glorious garden. Dejected, Alfred decides to try one last time. He buys a seed packet, which he accidentally scatters all over himself with a big sneeze. He wallows sadly in the mud; when he’s caught in the rain, the seeds inexplicably take root on him and immediately bloom, covering him in blossoms. So enflowered, he goes on his weekly errand to bring Lulu a blueberry muffin. She’s delighted by Alfred’s blooms and the sweet treat, but she assures him that she loves his visits, not because of the muffins, but because she enjoys spending time with him, and Alfred’s heart lightens. Why didn’t Alfred already know this after so many visits? Why doesn’t Lulu help him with his garden? Such unresolved questions are more emotionally pressing than the puzzling mystery around the quick-blooming flowers that sprout from Alfred’s person. The cartoon-style art doesn’t clarify matters, though readers may enjoy playful details such as a Little Free Library in Lulu’s yard, topiaries outside the store where Alfred purchases his seeds, and a yellow bird that follows him throughout the story. Alfred is tan-skinned, Lulu is lighter-skinned, and their community is diverse.
Warmhearted but less than satisfying. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780593647608
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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