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THE SHADY TREE

Name: THE SHADY TREE
Author: Demi
ISBN: 978-1-62779-769-6

by Demi ; illustrated by Demi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 25, 2016

An oversimplified tale of greed and generosity.

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A poor boy tricks a rich one into selling the shade of his tree.

Demi returns with another Chinese-inspired tale rendered in her distinct, meticulous watercolors. Tan Tan is a rich boy who lives in a big house shaded by a large tree. One day he spots Ping, a poor boy, sitting under the tree’s branches and declares he owns all of the tree—including its shade. Ping tricks greedy Tan Tan into selling him its shade. Much to Tan Tan’s dismay, Ping and his friends (both animal and human) sit in the tree’s shade wherever it lands: on Tan Tan’s bed and even at his birthday party. Frustrated, Tan Tan abandons his home to move into one with no tree, no shade—and no friends. Ping invites his friends to move into the empty house with him and soon accepts Tan Tan’s return with open arms. Like a folk tale, Demi’s story presents a bad-versus-good scenario with no gray in between. While Tan Tan’s selfishness is hardly admirable, trickster Ping cheerfully takes advantage of their agreement. When Tan Tan’s return is accepted without explanation or apology, readers can’t tell whether this was Ping’s plan all along or whether he just had a sudden change of heart. Demi’s paintings are framed in large medallions on every page, her palette contrasting Tan Tan’s red-and-gold outfit to Ping’s simple white one.

An oversimplified tale of greed and generosity. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-62779-769-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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PRESIDENT LINCOLN
by Demi ; illustrated by Demi

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WHEN THE ANIMALS SAVED EARTH
by Alexis York Lumbard ; illustrated by Demi

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THE PANDAS AND THEIR CHOPSTICKS
by Demi ; illustrated by Demi

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I AM A SPICY NUGGET

by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 8, 2026

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.

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An angry child attempts to calm down.

A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026

ISBN: 9798217042142

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
FOR YOUR SMILE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
IT HAD TO BE YOU
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- SEEN & HEARD
Brooklyn Readies for 2026 Book Festival

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)