This dog’s enthusiasm is catching, but the message is murky.
Being the new kid can be hard, especially when you’re different.
Charlie, an exuberant golden retriever–esque dog, loves school and eagerly looks forward to his first day. But at Catford Primary, where he is the only dog among a sea of cats, things are very different from his old school. Charlie isn’t sure which bathroom to use or where his classroom is, and the classes (string theory?) go poorly. Playtime isn’t any better (apparently cats don’t like their butts sniffed). Charlie sulks at home that night, mystified that a dog with so many friendship awards could have failed to make a single new buddy. But the Dog to Cat Dictionary he finds in the school library may hold the key. Eventually, Charlie isn’t the only one making changes to gain new friends; the cats and dog are shown digging holes and playing with sticks during playtime. Dicmas charmingly captures the personality differences between cats and dogs; the former aloof and territorial, the latter excitable and outgoing. Readers may need to get used to Charlie’s off-kilter face, with one eyeball bulging in three-quarter view. For readers in Charlie’s position, it’s disappointing to see that not a single feline at Catford, neither student nor teacher, makes any overtures to Charlie until he works to learn their language. As both encouragement for ELL students and model for their classmates, it pales in comparison to Aidan Cassie’s The Word for Friend (2020).
This dog’s enthusiasm is catching, but the message is murky. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-78628-342-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Child's Play
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2020
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade.
An ant explores her world.
Addie Ant’s ready for adventure. Despite some trepidation about leaving the Tomato Bed, where she lives with her aunt, she plucks up her courage and ventures forth across the garden to the far side of the shed. On her journey, she meets her pal Lewis Ladybug, who greets her warmly, points the way, and offers sage advice. When Addie arrives at her destination, she’s welcomed by lovely Beatrix Butterfly and enjoys an “ant-tastic” helping of watermelon. Beatrix also provides Addie with take-home treats and a map for the “Cricket Express,” which will take her straight home. Arriving at the terminal, Addie’s delighted to meet another friend, Cleo Cricket, whose carriage service returns Addie home in “two hops.” After eating a warm tomato soup dinner, Addie falls asleep and dreams of future exploits. Adorable though not terribly original, this story brims with sensuous pleasures, both textual and visual. Kids who declare that they dislike fruits or veggies may find their mouths watering at the mentions and sights of luscious tomatoes, peas, beans, watermelons, berries, and other foodstuffs; insect-averse readers may likewise think differently after encountering these convivial, wide-eyed characters. And those flowers and herbs everywhere! The highlights are the colors that burst from the pages. Addie’s an endearing, empowering character who reassures children they’ll be able to take those first independent steps successfully.
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade. (author’s note about ants) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781797228914
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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