Little Whistle saves storytime in this third Toytown adventure. The latest installment finds the titular guinea pig (who lives in a store where the toys come alive at night) stepping out after hours to hear “Soldier” read a bedtime story to the Toytown babies. But when he finds Soldier in no shape for sharing (“Someone bumped me off my shelf today and I landed on my head”), Little Whistle sets out to find a cure. Unfortunately, his friends aren’t much help. All Bear has to offer is a beret; Violet, the china doll, suggests a lullaby; Lion has only a vanilla cookie; and Rabbit won’t even stop to listen. Just when Little Whistle is about to give up, a mother doll directs him to “shelves full of doctor and nurse kits.” With Little Whistle to the rescue, Soldier is soon on the mend, and Little Whistle and the babies settle in for the story. Realistic oils wrap readers in a comforting glow, especially in the end: lulled to sleep, the bald, bonneted babies and Little Whistle snuggle on Soldier’s lap. Easy to swallow and guaranteed to make you feel good, this is a soothing blend of words and images. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-201086-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2002
Disney art paired with an affirming message makes for a pleasant diversion.
Popular Disney characters guide children toward independence and empowerment.
Childhood involves taking small steps into enchanted lands of self-discovery. These forays lead to challenges but wonders, too. Who better to help kids along this path than celebrated Disney and Pixar icons, idolized courtesy of cinema and TV screens? Children sharing this book with grown-ups will likely be more thrilled at simply spotting and identifying cartoon favorites on these pages than listening to, let alone contemplating, the lengthy, somewhat overblown text, which may go over their heads. After all, very young children won’t yet know what lies ahead—or have figured out what they’ve achieved or will accomplish—when they’re on the brink of exciting life journeys. Recognizing and naming favorites—characters from Frozen, Up, Coco, and Moana—will boost many children’s self-esteem, one of this book’s credos. Some classic characters might be less familiar to today’s younger set, but they’re still powerfully appealing. Many words, set in larger type throughout, are eye-catching. The inimitable Disney illustrative and design style remains captivating and transcends generations. Though many characters from earlier Disney works are White (Alice, Peter, Pinocchio), those from more recent films reflect racial and ethnic diversity, among them Moana, who is Polynesian, and Coco’s Miguel, who is Mexican. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Disney art paired with an affirming message makes for a pleasant diversion. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781368077750
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
Wins for compassion and for the refusal to let physical limitations hold one back.
With such short arms, how can Tiny T. Rex give a sad friend a hug?
Fleck goes for cute in the simple, minimally detailed illustrations, drawing the diminutive theropod with a chubby turquoise body and little nubs for limbs under a massive, squared-off head. Impelled by the sight of stegosaurian buddy Pointy looking glum, little Tiny sets out to attempt the seemingly impossible, a comforting hug. Having made the rounds seeking advice—the dino’s pea-green dad recommends math; purple, New Age aunt offers cucumber juice (“That is disgusting”); red mom tells him that it’s OK not to be able to hug (“You are tiny, but your heart is big!”), and blue and yellow older sibs suggest practice—Tiny takes up the last as the most immediately useful notion. Unfortunately, the “tree” the little reptile tries to hug turns out to be a pterodactyl’s leg. “Now I am falling,” Tiny notes in the consistently self-referential narrative. “I should not have let go.” Fortunately, Tiny lands on Pointy’s head, and the proclamation that though Rexes’ hugs may be tiny, “I will do my very best because you are my very best friend” proves just the mood-lightening ticket. “Thank you, Tiny. That was the biggest hug ever.” Young audiences always find the “clueless grown-ups” trope a knee-slapper, the overall tone never turns preachy, and Tiny’s instinctive kindness definitely puts him at (gentle) odds with the dinky dino star of Bob Shea’s Dinosaur Vs. series.
Wins for compassion and for the refusal to let physical limitations hold one back. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7033-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
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