A beautifully illustrated, lyrical tale, told with warmth and heart.
A whimsical tale of courage and imagination unfolds in Sidell’s rhythmic picture book adventure about Fuzzy Wuzzy the bear.
The story follows a gray, hairless bear on a journey beyond the comfort of his cave, employing playful rhyming text to take readers through fantastical settings, including ancient pyramids to underwater cities. Along the way, Fuzzy Wuzzy meets magical beings, including fairies and a unicorn, and face challenges that help him grow, such as a stormy sea. Kozhevnikova’s painterly, full-color artwork is vivid and dynamic, enhancing the tale’s dreamlike tone and supporting the emotional shifts of the narrative. The book’s messages of bravery, kindness, and legacy is clear and uplifting. However, some elements may be difficult for early readers to grasp; for example, the stylized typeface may pose a challenge to emerging readers, and some terms, such as wanderlust, aren’t explained within the story, which may require adult guidance. However, these choices also allow for discussion. The book’s creativity shines, with each page offering a new, imaginative landscape that will appeal to curious young minds. The rhyming structure supports early phonemic awareness, making it feel engaging and educational. This story also invites children to imagine where their own adventures might lead. Overall, Fuzzy’s story makes for a comforting, encouraging, and relatable read.
A beautifully illustrated, lyrical tale, told with warmth and heart.Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2025
ISBN: 9781592115433
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Histria Kids
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Earnest and well meaning but not quite a touchdown.
In Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Hurts’ motivational picture book, a youngster rebounds from disappointment.
As Jalen heads off on his first day of school, he daydreams about joining the football team, but his friend Trey soon breaks the bad news. The garden club needed more space for vegetables, so the football field was used for planting. There will be no football this year. Jalen is despondent, but his teachers Mrs. Lee and Mr. Barry and bodega owner Mr. Muhammad offer guidance that spurs him and his friends into positive action. They work to flip a nearby empty lot into a football field, with Jalen echoing his mentors’ adages. Once the field is complete, Jalen feels a swell of pride in his and his friends’ work. While the idea of kids working together to effect change is a laudable one, the bland, wordy storytelling won’t inspire young people or hold their attention. Tired, cliched inspirational comments peppered throughout often slow down the narrative, and many adult readers will find the premise—a school dropping a high-interest sports program in favor of a community garden—wildly unrealistic. Though the illustrations are colorful, with a Disney Junior charm, strange stylistic choices, such as signs with odd combinations of scribbles instead of letters, give them an unpolished look. Like Hurts, Jalen is Black; his community is diverse.
Earnest and well meaning but not quite a touchdown. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
ISBN: 9798217040308
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
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