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
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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