An amusing and lighthearted introduction to metafiction.
Three bears host an unexpected visitor with surprising results.
“Mama was serving porridge,” recounts the youngest of the three bears about the arrival of a stranger at the door. The small but stout figure, covered head to knees in a bright red hoodie, is “Little Red from the book next door.” Little Red explains that there’s a wolf, “and he wants to eat me.” Though Papa and Mama are dubious about letting her stay (“Not sure that’s how the story goes,” they muse), Little Red consumes a bowl of porridge, recounts her tale, and spends the night. But when the wolf shows up, all four flee to a different neighboring book, where three pigs look alarmed. Poor Wolf. It’s not a choice role, being the Big Bad Wolf, and tears ensue. The empathetic narrator produces a few bowls of just-right porridge (recipe included) to soothe Wolf’s feelings. Rueda’s bears are large, light-brown furred, and rounded with bemused expressions. Little Red has white skin, and the wolf has light-brown fur and a friendly, canine look. Rueda’s punchy, economical narrative and the clear typeface put this within reach of new readers. The gentle twist and metafictive conceit will serve as a conversation starter and may inspire other sendups and blendings of nursery plotlines and characters. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An amusing and lighthearted introduction to metafiction. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7031-2
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2021
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated.
Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets the Halloween treatment.
Chung follows the original formula to the letter. In alphabetical order, each letter climbs to the top of a tree. They are knocked back to the ground in a jumble before climbing up in sequence again. In homage to the spooky holiday theme, they scale a “creaky old tree,” and a ghostly jump scare causes the pileup. The chunky, colorful art is instantly recognizable. The charmingly costumed letters (“H swings a tail. / I wears a patch. J and K don / bows that don’t match”) are set against a dark backdrop, framed by pages with orange or purple borders. The spreads feature spiderwebs and jack-o’-lanterns. The familiar rhyme cadence is marred by the occasional clunky or awkward phrase; in particular, the adapted refrain of “Chicka chicka tricka treat” offers tongue-twisting fun, but it’s repeatedly followed by the disappointing half-rhyme “Everybody sneaka sneak.” Even this odd construction feels shoehorned into place, since “sneaking” makes little sense when every character in the book is climbing together. The final line of the book ends on a more satisfying note, with “Everybody—time to eat!”
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781665954785
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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