Unapologetically agenda driven, but the behavioral advice is valid enough.
Dinosaur preschoolers demonstrate compromise, anger management, and other socialization skills.
What should little Chomp do when classmate Camara takes the last purple building block? When Rio puts party invitations into every cubby except his? Or, at last, when he beats everyone back inside after recess and finds snacks laid out? For each scenario Ayala-Kronos poses rhetorical questions—“Should Chomp ROAR? Should Chomp STOMP? Should Chomp…CHOMP?”—then offers the titular strategy. It turns out to be savvy counsel, as Sordo demonstrates in his simply drawn cartoons by following scenes of the overalls-clad Chomp acting out with more-harmonious alternative views: of smiling dinos using the purple block to link their two constructions, of Rio personally delivering an extra-special invitation with a hug, and like cozy outcomes. It all culminates in a final observation that sometimes a CHOMP! is the right move (so long as there’s enough for everyone). In both concept and the styling of the title character, this book can’t help comparison with Bob Shea’s Dinosaur Vs. series, but it’s considerably tamer. And as prehistoric guides to better behavior go, the droll and venerable How Do Dinosaurs… series from Jane Yolen and Mark Teague offers a far broader set of prescriptions, but younger beastlings may be tempted to give this a nibble. A bouncy song based on the story (written and performed by Jonathan Dean) is available for free from the publisher’s website. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Unapologetically agenda driven, but the behavioral advice is valid enough. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-358-41098-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...
Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.
Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0237-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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