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THERE'S A COW IN MY BED

Name: THERE'S A COW IN MY BED
Author: Daniel Fehr
ISBN: 9788418599699

From the Somos8 series

by Daniel Fehr ; illustrated by Jorge Martín ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2023

Bovines and bedtime combine for delightful silliness.

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A youngster refuses to sleep because of the many animals that suddenly appear in their bed.

The impish tot, with tan skin and two curly red poofs of hair, is having quite the night. First, there is a cow lounging on top of the covers. But Dad, brown-haired and tan-skinned, busy washing the dishes, is skeptical. “Cows don’t like to sleep alone,” he scoffs. “Why don’t you go ask her to make room for you?” The child goes back to bed but returns to complain that a duck (with a dapper hat) has joined the cow and is now playing cards with her! And the cow is losing, which makes her grumpy. No one wants to sleep with a grumpy cow. But when Dad checks the bed, they are gone. “Maybe they’re playing hide-and-seek now,” suggests the child. These all appear to be classic bedtime stalling techniques, but the youngster really is certain there are animals in the bed! They just keep disappearing whenever Dad checks. But the tables turn when it is Dad’s turn to go to sleep. Told through dialogue, the narrative is a little one-note, though very entertaining, and the expressive illustrations bounce it happily along. Martín’s scribbly illustrations are reminiscent of Greg Pizzoli’s style. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Bovines and bedtime combine for delightful silliness. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: May 2, 2023

ISBN: 9788418599699

Page Count: 36

Publisher: NubeOcho

Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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SLEEPING IS NOT FOR ME!
by José Carlos Andrés ; illustrated by Alessandro Montagnana ; translated by Cecilia Ross

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THE LITTLE MAGICIAN
by Susanna Isern ; illustrated by Amélie Graux

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THE GREAT POOP CONTEST
by Rafael Ordóñez ; illustrated by Laure du Fäy ; translated by Cecilia Ross

- BOOK REVIEW
LET'S BUILD A DAM!
by Daniel Fehr ; illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio ; translated by Daniel Fehr

- BOOK REVIEW
A BIG HELP
by Daniel Fehr ; illustrated by Benjamin Leroy

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IZZY GIZMO AND THE INVENTION CONVENTION

From the Izzy Gizmo series

by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020

A disappointing follow-up.

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Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).

While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.

A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 1, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Peachtree

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
IZZY GIZMO
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

- BOOK REVIEW
DADDY'S SANDWICH
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Laura Hughes

- BOOK REVIEW
THE INVISIBLE CAT!
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Ella Okstad

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RUBY FINDS A WORRY

From the Big Bright Feelings series

by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...

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Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.

Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)