As sweet as apple pie—though one slice might just be enough.
Bunny’s back (Bunny Slopes, 2016), and this time they’re hungry.
A rumbling tummy sends narrator Bunny to an apple tree. But—uh-oh, they can’t reach! Luckily, Bunny isn’t alone in their quest—they have readers! Bunny politely asks these readers to “shake the book” to make the apples fall. When leaves fall instead, Bunny next prompts readers to “blow” the leaves away. Unfortunately, Bunny’s scarf gets caught in the helpful gust. Trapped in the tree in the illustration, the scarf also extends physically out of the book as a ribbon artfully inserted at exactly the right page. Readers must grab the scarf/ribbon and move it to the next page so that Bunny can use it as a rope to reach the apples. Once their wagon is full of red deliciousness, Bunny wanders home. Along the way, readers must “tilt,” “rock,” and “turn” the book to keep Bunny moving. Rueda’s digitally-rendered charcoal illustrations are black and white with yellow tones. The sparse text highlights commands to readers in large-point, often playfully set red display type that, along with the red of various objects, creates a lovely accent. Though Rueda employed similar metafictive elements in the book’s predecessor, they’re used much more effectively and originally in this sequel. The ribbon will inevitably get misplaced during read-alouds, so it’s up to caregivers to remember to return it to its logical spot in the story.
As sweet as apple pie—though one slice might just be enough. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4521-6255-3
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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