THE PROBLEM WITH NOT BEING SCARED OF KIDS

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THE PROBLEM WITH NOT BEING SCARED OF KIDS

Name: THE PROBLEM WITH NOT BEING SCARED OF KIDS
Author: Dan Richards
ISBN: 978-1-62979-102-9

by Dan Richards ; illustrated by Robert Neubecker ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2015

These cuddly monsters may be a little clichéd, but they get the narrative job done. Maybe they’re just that persistent.

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A group of not-very-scary monsters tries very hard to make friends with kids, which is exactly as problematic as one might expect.

In this companion book to the previous The Problem with Not Being Scared of Monsters (2014), the story is told from the point of view of the beasties. Led by an unnamed tentacled blue monster with yellow polka dots, the creatures try very hard to ingratiate themselves to the elementary school set. But, not surprisingly, “sleepovers end early,” and “always being ‘it’ gets old.” The text is largely a list of idea setups that the monsters play out, but the illustrations deliver the punch lines, such as the moment when “holidays get personal”: a group of kids wears Halloween masks identical to the faces of the embarrassed monsters. Awkward! The try-hard monster gang is endearing, eventually breaking through to one boy who stops being scared and starts being friendly. But never answered is why the monsters try so desperately to connect with kids when they already have one another as playmates. Nevertheless, there are witty moments (such as a list of self-help book covers including Pals for Poltergeists) and a sweet last page.

These cuddly monsters may be a little clichéd, but they get the narrative job done. Maybe they’re just that persistent. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-62979-102-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Boyds Mills

Review Posted Online: June 5, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S PARANORMAL & SUPERNATURAL

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HELLO THERE, SUNSHINE

by Tabitha Brown ; illustrated by Olivia Duchess ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 11, 2025

Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale.

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Actor, social media star, and entrepreneur Brown pens a joyful paean to positive thinking in her children’s debut.

Brown-skinned Tab rides a strawberry-themed bike, accompanied by a curly-haired black dog, Grady. Tab’s dazzling smile and wide eyes signal the upbeat theme echoed in the text, celebrating the sun’s warmth, which “fills everyone up with joy.” But Tab’s mood shifts, as it’s a “cloudy and gray” June day. Alert readers will spot the dog’s smiling countenance and note glimpses of sunny yellow butterflies and flowers. Mama’s reassurance that there’s “always a chance” for sunshine also underscores the optimism. Tab and Grady bike through suburban streets “to find the sun.” Along the way, the two stop to assist a neighbor building a birdhouse, loft a kite for friends Frankie and Fonte, and lend a hand to others, all while still having fun. Mama steers Tab toward an eventual understanding of the real source of joy: Though the sun didn’t appear, “I brightened everyone’s day!” The illustrations subtly underscore the message of this radiant story as touches of gold lighten the palette, which ends with sunny brilliance. Most characters read Black, though Tab’s community includes people who vary in skin tone, body type, and ability.

Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 11, 2025

ISBN: 9780063342262

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: yesterday

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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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)