An introduction to the seasons with well-paced rhyming text, gentle humor, and visual charm.
A pair of pugs in parkas parades through the seasons in this picture book.
“It’s the first day of spring! / Flowers stretch toward the sun / as a couple of pugs venture out for a run.” In this jaunty rhyming tale from Stevenson and Spicer—whose picture book collaborations include Oy, Elephants! (2019) and An Armadillo on My Pillow (2020)—two irrepressible pugs proudly set out through the seasons to show off their matching, hooded parkas. A flouncy dachshund and a “studious hound” question whether spring is an appropriate time to be wearing parkas. The pugs meet similar disapproval in the summer from sea gulls and a little girl at the beach; in the autumn, a bunny and a raccoon are unimpressed. But in the winter, the pugs’ new friends, a boy with brown skin and the now-appreciative girl with light skin from the beach, compliment the canines for their choice of cold-weather attire. Children will enjoy hearing Stevenson’s bouncy rhymes and picking out verbs and nouns in each verse that are enlarged in the text and set in different colors for emphasis. Spicer’s full-color depictions of the seasons provide attractive settings for the amusing pugs and the other expressive animal and human characters. A fun touch: The penultimate page switches from the book’s horizontal format, requiring children to turn the work for a dynamic vertical image of the pugs and their friends sledding downhill.
An introduction to the seasons with well-paced rhyming text, gentle humor, and visual charm.Pub Date: July 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73482-420-9
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Pigs Fly Books
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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