Everything old is new again—and keeps getting better; a charming Ella for a new generation.
What you didn’t know about “Cinderella” could fill a book.
Fred is a small, gray, itchy-eared mouse befriended and named by Cinderella, referred to here as Ella. One night, a crotchety fairy godmother transforms Fred into a horse, a pumpkin into a coach, and Ella into someone “fancy”—though she dislikes her glass heels. The fairy godmother issues her stroke-of-midnight warning, and the gang heads to the ball, which is a fail: Sore-footed Ella, having lost a slipper at the ball, leaves with the other one—which she smashes—and complains about the snooty prince. Just before midnight, she and her “horse” race home, and all revert to their former selves, including the coach, but Ella saves seeds from it. Next morning, the prince seeks the slipper’s owner; when it doesn’t fit Ella’s stepsisters, he leaves. Life begins anew for Ella: She plants her seeds, wins first prize for the pumpkin that grows, and meets and falls in love with the female farmer who takes second prize. Readers will love this wonderfully written, comically snappy take on the beloved tale: Ella gets her happily-ever-after by marrying a woman and succeeding at farming. Zelinsky’s witty, colorful, dynamic illustrations, rendered in ink and assembled digitally, are masterful and depict racially diverse background characters dressed in Renaissance-era garb. Cinderella, her wife, her stepfamily, and the royal family are pale-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Everything old is new again—and keeps getting better; a charming Ella for a new generation. (about fairy-tale pumpkins) (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023
ISBN: 9780593480038
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Anne Schwartz/Random
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
Charming.
An assortment of unusual characters form friendships and help each other become their best selves.
Mr. and Mrs. Tupper, who live at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, are antiquarians. Their daughter, Jillian, loves and cares for a plant named Ivy, who has “three speckles on each leaf and three letters in her name.” Toasty, the grumpy goldfish, lives in an octagonal tank and wishes he were Jillian’s favorite; when Arthur the spider arrives inside an antique desk, he brings wisdom and insight. Ollie the violet plant, Louise the bee, and Sunny the canary each arrive with their own quirks and problems to solve. Each character has a distinct personality and perspective; sometimes they clash, but more often they learn to empathize, see each other’s points of view, and work to help one another. They also help the Tupper family with bills and a burglar. The Fan brothers’ soft-edged, old-fashioned, black-and-white illustrations depict Toasty and Arthur with tiny hats; Ivy and Ollie have facial expressions on their plant pots. The Tuppers have paper-white skin and dark hair. The story comes together like a recipe: Simple ingredients combine, transform, and rise into something wonderful. In its matter-of-fact wisdom, rich vocabulary (often defined within the text), hint of magic, and empathetic nonhuman characters who solve problems in creative ways, this delightful work is reminiscent of Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, Our Friend Hedgehog by Lauren Castillo, and Ivy Lost and Found by Cynthia Lord and Stephanie Graegin.
Charming. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: May 27, 2025
ISBN: 9781665942485
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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