A touching tale of friendship and shared achievement.
Frank the fox and Bert the bear ride again—literally.
In Frank and Bert (2023), the pair realized that friendship is more important than winning. In this sweetly funny latest outing, they discover some more truths: Self-confidence can be bolstered by a friend’s support, promises need to be kept for trust to develop, and eyes-on-the-road is a good rule. The duo want to ride together, but Bert consistently swerves and crashes. Frank devises “a brilliant plan,” pledging to “hold on to [Bert’s] bike…while he practices NOT wobbling.” This plan works until Frank decides to let go, since Bert is doing so well. Toppled again, an angry, upset Bert abjures bike-riding, but Frank has another idea: a passenger seat. Bert climbs in happily. Soon Frank, exhausted by pedaling the hefty bear up a 90-degree hill, begs Bert to walk. But, newly confident, Bert is sure he can pedal them both down. Frank fears the worst but trustingly gets into the seat, and Bear speeds them safely home: “Of course I did it,” he explains, “because you were right behind me all the way.” Frank sports a bright blue helmet; Bert’s helmet is shocking pink. Frank’s two-wheeler is acid yellow, and Bert’s comically small bike is chartreuse. Against the animals’ subdued brownish fur and the minimal backgrounds, these lively touches pop. Subtle changes in the duo’s deadpan expressions convey their feelings.
A touching tale of friendship and shared achievement. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9798887770444
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.
An angry child attempts to calm down.
A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9798217042142
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
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