Not a must-have.
Biedrzycki returns with a follow-up story of these two friends (Me and My Dragon, 2011), with a focus on Dragon’s fear of Halloween.
A boy and his oversized, bright red dragon enjoy many of the same things: birthday parties, parades and fireworks. But when the end of October nears, Dragon is not enthused. “He’s scared of werewolves. Zombies give him the creeps. And he hides whenever he sees a mummy.” The boy tries explaining that these creatures “aren’t real,” but Dragon is still scared. Thus begins a quest to make Dragon a costume so he can better understand and experience “what Halloween is all about.” As the boy and his dragon try out various dress-up ideas, readers will be mildly entertained by the humor infusing the digitally rendered illustrations. Dragon is first unsuccessfully wrapped in a mess of toilet paper as a mummy, then he’s unable to see where he is going in his Robodragon get-up, freaks out at his reflection in the mirror as a zombie and is utterly uncomfortable in a ballerina tutu. Of course, all ends well. Children coping with their own anxieties about Halloween as well as kids stumped for a costume to choose for trick-or-treating will appreciate the determination these two characters display. Although the book has its merits, though, the language is ploddingly pedestrian and concludes predictably.
Not a must-have. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-58089-658-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!
Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781454999621
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, springtime-themed reworking of a beloved tale.
The classic picture book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets a makeover for Easter as the letters of the alphabet locate and decorate eggs.
The mission is simple: “Chicka chicka peek peek. / Everybody seek seek! / Find all the eggs / in the pretty pink tree.” The letters are making their way up the flowering tree in search of the hidden eggs when a “SNEEZE!” scatters everyone and the eggs fall and crack. Luckily, a bunny hops by with a haul of new ones, which the letters then paint and bedazzle, eventually sharing the newly decorated eggs with a group of bunnies. This picture book is a successfully Easter-fied version of the original: The letters go up; the letters fall down. Truly, though, that’s all the preschool crowd needs. Chung’s illustrations are simple and familiar, a direct echo of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The letters appear in colorful, bold, block form. The book has few added details, just focal images like the tree and its pink flowers, the colorful eggs, tufts of grass, and some friendly rabbits. The alphabet appears in order (both upper- and lowercase letters) at the book’s open and close. The rhyming text follows the iconic cadence of the source material, making for a worthy read-aloud that will keep little hands turning pages.
A sweet, springtime-themed reworking of a beloved tale. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
ISBN: 9781665990646
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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