An appealing, preschool-friendly introduction to perseverance, selflessness, and the changing of the seasons.
In this debut picture book, a squirrel must protect a budding leaf from winter.
Twitch is a squirrel in charge of safeguarding a small green leaf bud until his friends return from their winter migration. He names the plant Little Bud and prepares for the approach of winter by gathering twigs and eating as many acorns as possible while keeping an eye on his new friend. Winter sets in not long afterward and Twitch struggles to manage both his and Little Bud’s needs: “Many days and nights, darkness overcame the forest only to be awakened by snowflakes. Twitch thought, Little Bud will never be a green leaf with snowflakes around.” Together, they brave the weather and do their best to emerge into the warm spring and the welcomes of their woodland friends. Haun’s well-paced but brief story is a sweet introduction to both social-emotional values and ecology, the latter through its inclusion of fun facts about buds in the aftermatter. The tale could take place in anyone’s backyard, providing readers with a relatable entry point to the story. Twitch’s constant concern for Little Bud is touching and could become a gateway for children to learning about responsibility by growing a plant at home. The author brings her signature artistic style to the tale, with illustrations based in collage, using materials that add visual texture to the narrative, such as the plaid fabric patterns in the tree leaves.
An appealing, preschool-friendly introduction to perseverance, selflessness, and the changing of the seasons.Pub Date: April 4, 2024
ISBN: 9798988922308
Page Count: 32
Publisher: just winging it books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 16, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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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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