A positive message of hope and love.
This therapy dog narrates her perspective on grief.
Curly Noodle the goldendoodle knows firsthand about loss, having lost two families already. She now lives on the campus of a local university, happily greeting others on her long walks. Noodle has been officially trained to be a “world-famous Helper Hound.” Her current case concerns a young boy named Gabriel, who won’t cry over his grandfather’s recent death. Gabriel’s family is supportive, and their unnamed but described Catholic faith teaches that “one day [they] will all be together again,” but Gabriel opens up only in Noodle’s comforting presence. He’s helped by other humans sharing stories of loss and a metaphor of Noodle’s left-behind curly hairs as traces of a loved one’s lingering love. Positivity and a surprise reunion supply a happy ending to this somber lesson. Noodle’s narration is compassionate and sincere, like her doggy personality, and appropriate for readers who may be going through similar life events. The text discourages dog breeding: “Rescued is the best breed!” Noodle’s owner says. Backmatter contains “Tips for Grieving” as well as some facts on goldendoodles. Gabriel’s bilingual family hails from Mexico, and illustrations depict the other primary characters as white. Noodle’s current owners are in a same-sex partnership. Companion title Robot Helps Max and Lily Deal With Bullies features a Rottweiler who provides support for a pair of bullied siblings.
A positive message of hope and love. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-63440-918-6
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Red Chair Press
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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