An appealing tale that combines bright colors with easy rhymes and a can-do message.
A boy in a wheelchair travels the world to show that mobility doesn’t depend on being able to walk in this picture book.
Cor Cor can’t walk, “but don’t think for a minute that he is wheelchair-bound.” In rhyming phrases, Cor Cor’s adventures around the globe in many types of transportation and to all kinds of places are described. Depicted early on next to a globe, a map, and his passport, Cor Cor maneuvers his modern-looking wheelchair on a safari ride and to the London Eye. On a Florida beach, he uses a special wheelchair with tanklike triangular treads. He meets Santa’s reindeer in Finland, kangaroos in Australia, and elephants in Africa. Cor Cor can’t stop moving—and his enthusiasm for life is evident in the smile on his face in every image. Debut artist Moore uses colorful, boldly lined cartoon illustrations against a more abstractly textured background in each picture, capturing a sense of movement in the vibrant portrayal of the main character. Moore uses famous landmarks to good effect, making the international sites immediately recognizable. But the locations depicted are not logically grouped, as countries, states, cities, and continents are mentioned haphazardly. Lee, on whom the main character is based, and Gilbreath use simple vocabulary in rhyming couplets that are easily accessible for newly independent readers.
An appealing tale that combines bright colors with easy rhymes and a can-do message.Pub Date: July 26, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-578-67088-1
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Sure to have little ones giggling.
Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”
Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.
Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781250814388
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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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
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