A series starter that encourages thinking in new ways.
A boy and his friends use a wheelchair for sand adventures in a picture book about creative problem-solving.
Leigh, Cosmo, Tara, and two dogs are enjoying the boardwalk together when Tara suggests going down to the beach. “Sorry, guys, my wheels get stuck in the sand,” explains Leigh, who uses a wheelchair. The pals brainstorm ways for everyone to enjoy the sand, first using the dogs to pull the chair like huskies. When that doesn’t work, Cosmo realizes the wheels need to be wider and finds dune-buggy tires, which the friends affix over Leigh’s wheels. The result? “Leigh is zooming across the sand all on his own!” Although McIver’s story focuses on a wheelchair’s limitations, the way the three kids find solutions feels empowering. Some may find a scene in which Tara and Cosmo take Leigh’s chair for a spin to be problematic, but the way they credit Leigh as the expert on maneuvering the chair helps to normalize his experience. McIver’s simple sentences and accessible vocabulary (with some Australian spellings, such as tyres) make this story, inspired by the author’s late son, a good choice for independent readers. Debut artist Keys’ eye-catching, cheerful watercolor illustrations realistically depict the characters; Tara appears to be of Asian heritage, and Cosmo, who wears glasses, and Leigh are light-skinned.
A series starter that encourages thinking in new ways.Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-648-41783-5
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
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: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
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