Say yes to each reread of this one.
Oliver McSnow says, “No!” to everything until his cousin Jess teaches him the power of “Yes!”
A word all too familiar to caregivers of little ones, no echoes around Oliver’s house. He turns down food, a request to clean up a mess, and even the chance to use the swings. When Jess comes to play, he says, “Yes!” before Oliver can say “No!” and off they go, swinging, scootering, and even enjoying ice cream. As it turns out, Jess just might change Oliver’s mind forever, showing him the joyful wonder of saying yes. Grabenstein’s naysayer is wholeheartedly believable, as is the exuberant, gleeful Jess. Espinosa’s illustrations perfectly capture Oliver’s exasperated parents, who are exhausted by the boy’s rejection of everything except for macaroni and cheese. The story will have readers realizing right alongside Oliver just how much fun there is in trying and doing new things. Text and illustrations are well balanced, never belaboring the message and letting Oliver’s experiences speak for themselves. Espinosa’s black-outlined illustrations capture the characters midmovement: Oliver biking through the house with one socked foot or sprinting naked through the front door. The story strikes just the right note of on-the-nose kid behavior and parent feelings with a hint of silly and a satisfying resolution. Oliver is tan-skinned, his parents are lighter-skinned, and Jess is brown-skinned. There are background characters of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Say yes to each reread of this one. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-30204-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings.
The Crayons head back to class in this latest series entry.
Daywalt’s expository text lays out the basics as various Crayons wave goodbye to the beach, choose a first-day outfit, greet old friends, and make new ones. As in previous outings, the perennially droll illustrations and hand-lettered Crayon-speak drive the humor. The ever wrapperless Peach, opining, “What am I going to wear?” surveys three options: top hat and tails, a chef’s toque and apron, and a Santa suit. New friends Chunky Toddler Crayon (who’s missing a bite-sized bit of their blue point) and Husky Toddler Crayon speculate excitedly on their common last name: “I wonder if we’re related!” White Crayon, all but disappearing against the page’s copious white space, sits cross-legged reading a copy of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man. And Yellow and Orange, notable for their previous existential argument about the color of the sun, find agreement in science class: Jupiter, clearly, is yellow AND orange. Everybody’s excited about art class—“Even if they make a mess. Actually…ESPECIALLY if they make a mess!” Here, a spread of crayoned doodles of butterflies, hearts, and stars is followed by one with fulsome scribbles. Fans of previous outings will spot cameos from Glow in the Dark and yellow-caped Esteban (the Crayon formerly known as Pea Green). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9780593621110
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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