An unremarkable but potentially practical book.
In Graham’s picture book, a teacher is the Goldilocks of transportation.
Every day, Mrs. Graham rides her bike to school—that is, until she crashes into a massive pothole outside the gates. The bike is irreparably damaged, so she tries a new way of getting to school the next morning. “Today is Tuesday and I’m going to go to school on the bus.” For the rest of the week, Mrs. Graham’s Siamese cat, Sugei, watches from the window at home as the beleaguered teacher attempts a new mode of transportation, only to be let down. Her last resort is to purchase a car. Her dream car is a small pink sedan but as she visits different showrooms throughout the next week, she once again encounters problems at each one. Evil Eddie’s cars are too big, and Foxy Freddie’s are too small. Some are too fast, too long, or just plain uncomfortable. Finally, Mrs. Graham is able to buy her ideal car from Handsome Harry and drive to school in style. Author Graham’s debut picture book is a modern twist on the Goldilocks story that preschoolers may find funny because of its continuous obstacles. While the story itself is somewhat monotonous, it’s useful for teaching the days of the week and types of transportation. Graham’s illustrations are plain but expressive, though the style isn’t always consistent between foreground details like Mrs. Graham herself and the more unfinished-looking students and buildings that appear in the background.
An unremarkable but potentially practical book.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: XlibrisUS
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted.
Imagination soars—quite literally—when a little girl follows her own set of rules.
Every year Oak Hill School has a go-kart race called the Going Places contest. Students are given identical go-kart kits with a precise set of instructions. And of course, every single kart ends up exactly the same. Every one, that is, except Maya’s. Maya is a dreamy artist, and she would rather sketch birds in her backyard than get caught up in the competition. When she finally does start working, she uses the parts in the go-kart box but creates something completely different. No one ever said it had to be a go-kart. Maya’s creative thinking inspires Rafael, her neighbor (and the most enthusiastic Going Places contestant), to ask to team up. The instructions never say they couldn’t work together, either! An ode to creativity and individuality to be sure, but the Reynolds brothers are also taking a swipe at modern education: Endless repetition and following instructions without question create a culture of conformity. Hopefully now, readers will see infinite possibility every time the system hands them an identical go-kart box.
Not astonishingly go-out-and-buy-it-at-graduation inspirational, but all it takes is one seed of change to be planted. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-6608-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
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A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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