Financial planning never looked so good.
In Bunnyland, money matters get an early start.
McLeod’s Moneybunny series aims to teach young readers “a few simple facts about money.” In this volume, the focus is on making choices about what to buy. Sonny, the young bunny protagonist, wants to buy everything, but he only gets 3 carrots a week as an allowance. (In keeping with the conventions of currency, McLeod uses numerals instead of spelling numbers out.) Sonny’s mom, who dispenses wisdom while raking up a Technicolor pile of leaves, tells Sonny he is going to have to make choices because different things cost different amounts of carrots. That toy rocket costs 2 carrots, and the pogo stick costs 3 carrots, while the bouncy castle costs 100 (represented in a double-page spread of 100 carrots, arrayed in five rows of 20). (“That’s RIDICULOUS!” cries Sonny.) His mom suggests he give it some thought, to which Sonny blurts the universal credo: “I don’t want to THINK! I want to SPEND!” Good thing Sonny hasn’t got a carrot credit card. So Sonny gets to thinking how to spend his carrots, and a supercritical lesson is learned: consider how and what you spend your money on. (Saving was tackled in Earn It, 2017.) The lesson goes down smoothly because it presents options for ways to satisfy the urge to spend—it also helps that Sonny is cute as a you-know-what.
Financial planning never looked so good. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-399-54446-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
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