Cute concept; readers’ mileage may vary.
Chair just wants “to be in on the game."
Every night before bed, Vivi, a brown-skinned girl with puffy pigtails, and Monkey, a child-sized stuffed animal, play a game. Monkey hides in plain sight under a blanket, Vivi pretends to look everywhere for Monkey, Vivi questions the witnesses: Chair, Plant, Kettle, and Cat. Chair is the only witness who cares about the game. But the role of witness is not enough for Chair. Chair loves Vivi and wants to be more involved. But night after night, Monkey comes out of hiding, and the pair leaves Chair sleepless and jealous. One night, Chair decides that if Monkey needed a bath—say, if some juice were spilled on Monkey—then Chair could take Monkey’s place. But the plan backfires. When Monkey doesn’t turn up, Vivi only looks harder for Monkey and becomes upset with Chair when Vivi realizes Chair had a hand in the disappearance. But all ends well when Vivi comes to understand Chair’s intentions. Vivi is easily seen as a beloved adult, with Chair as a misunderstood, childlike character who just wants some attention, making this story a clever representation of all-too-real feelings of the young. Bright, expressive illustrations add to the chuckleworthy drama. There are some off notes: Plant’s falling “in love” with Cat is an odd touch for this age group, and the Monkey-as-peer is rather unsettling both conceptually and visually. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.8-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 71.8% of actual size.)
Cute concept; readers’ mileage may vary. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77306-246-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
Simple acts of kindness that warm the heart.
“Kindness is sometimes / a cup and a card.” Wait! What?
Yes, kindness is a cup and a card—when someone uses them to gently trap a ladybug inside and release it outside. With a simple rhyming text and softly colored illustrations of community scenes, each page shows neighbors, professionals, and strangers modeling simple acts of kindness toward people and animals. A child rakes leaves for an older neighbor, another brings soup to someone who is “sneezy,” and one even shares a book via a clever bucket delivery system. As neighboring businesses, a flower seller swaps a bouquet for peaches with a grocer. A fireman rescues a cat from a tree, park security helps a lost child, and an ice cream vendor gives a cone to a young skater who has fallen. Even strangers act with kindness and return a dropped key, snap a picture for a vacationing family, and adopt a dog that “others ignore.” From infants to grandparents, people in this busy and diverse community come together to enjoy one another and their common interests. Illustrations show a girl wearing a hijab, a child in a wheelchair playing badminton with friends, and interracial families.
Simple acts of kindness that warm the heart. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-23789-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Godwin Books
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Engines won’t be the only thing roaring their approval when this book hits storytime.
Who needs sanity when you’ve got family?
The title character of Elbow Grease (2018) and his family of Demolition Derby trucks return to face an all-new competitor. Once again, ’Bo is feeling inadequate next to his fan-favorite brothers. Despite Mel the Mechanic’s encouragement—he’s “the best at getting better”—he wants to be noticed. But instead, he notices someone unavoidable. Motozilla, the monster machine that turns trucks “into crunch sandwiches,” is currently undefeated. Trouble is, you’d need a truck with an array of skills to take him down. Thinking fast, ’Bo makes the wild and somewhat improbable suggestion that he and his brothers join together to form a single supertruck. Will it be enough to take down this bully? Quips, jests, and teamwork are the name of the game as pro wrestler Cena improves on his writing in this second outing, which demonstrates that individual glory falls in the face of concentrated cooperation. Rollicking, radical art portrays the battle in all its gritty glory, mud and twisted metal galore. Human crowds show a diverse range of races and genders, and the trucks’ keeper, Mel, has light-brown skin and wears glasses.
Engines won’t be the only thing roaring their approval when this book hits storytime. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5247-7353-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
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