A doggone cute story (with some bumpy execution) about being true to yourself.
A foster dog looks for his forever family and learns how to appreciate his unique qualities in Downing’s picture book.
Teddy is a loveable foster dog with “a white stripe on the top of [his] little furry head”; the “white tip of [his] tail looks like it’s been dipped in a pail.” He lives with his foster mom and his best friend, Freddy the Flea. One day, his caretaker takes him to a pet adoption event in the hope of finding Teddy a permanent home. At the fair, Teddy delights in seeing the variety of dogs up for adoption, but when a string of children (mostly light-skinned, with one dark-skinned child in the mix) dismiss him, Teddy loses heart. With encouragement from Freddy and his foster mom, Teddy perseveres—until a little light-skinned girl with red hair named Nettie exclaims how perfect he is and takes him home with her. Teddy’s story is heartwarming and encouraging to young readers who may be struggling with self-esteem. Velazquez’s brightly colored illustrations are as fun as Teddy’s personality, making for an enjoyable read. However, the text gets tripped up in forcing the AABB rhyme scheme at times and completely abandoning it at others. Additionally, a shifting point of view between first and third person may make this book difficult for young readers to understand.
A doggone cute story (with some bumpy execution) about being true to yourself.Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2025
ISBN: 9798868507878
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Xulon
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
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A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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