Goofy and fun. Readers will look forward to future outings.
Three short chapters on camaraderie star a duo of polar-opposite reptiles.
Hat-wearing Croc brings the pessimism to Ally’s infectious positivity. The two don’t always get along, but they are excellent at compromising. In “Move Over,” Ally’s refusal to move on the sofa (they like being close to Croc) propels Croc to suggest that the pair trade in the sofa for two chairs. In “Mr. Grumpy Pants,” Ally reverses roles with Croc to show him what his grumpy face actually looks like. Likewise, Croc flips the script to show Ally their happy-go-lucky face (unintentionally turning his own frown upside down). In “The Moon Is Hiding,” the sleepy pals go on a nighttime hunt for the moon (Ally can’t sleep without finding it). Neither sees it, but Croc comes up with a creative solution. In fewer than 100 words, Anderson’s (Ten Pigs, 2015) early-reader debut is classic opposites-attract comedy. Added details, such as the books Ally reads (Grumpy No More and More Fun), reward discerning readers. The text has at most three sentences per page, each with a relatively small word count (at most 13). Anderson scales back his usual textured acrylic style in favor of sleek, black-outlined cartoon critters in mostly earth-tone surroundings. À la Frog and Toad, this duo’s friendship is staggeringly cute (the sole wordless double-page spread is a case in point, showing a confused Croc and blissfully oblivious Ally).
Goofy and fun. Readers will look forward to future outings. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-8707-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
The grown-ups who buy this will already, like their offspring, have bought the message
The creators of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo (2018) press another topical hot button.
Replete with twee Capital Letters, the tale sends Jitterbug the chipmunk skittering from her cozy nest in search of the Something New that her sensitive tummy tells her has come to the forest. Along the way she meets friends who share important thoughts she tucks away as irrelevant but “good information.” The Something turns out to be a Someone, namely slow-talking Pudding the snail, a refugee from the recently flooded garden over the hill. Prompted by fear of change, Jitterbug peremptorily orders Pudding to turn back. But when her less jittery animal neighbors gang up to point out that she’s being irrational, Jitterbug acknowledges her mistake. Back comes Pudding (who hadn’t gotten very far anyway) to make a new home and become a Very Good Friend. In splashy digital watercolors Keller adds at least some flavor to the precious narrative, placing animated forest creatures with mildly anthropomorphic postures and expressions into pleasant sylvan surroundings and strapping a backpack atop Pudding’s brightly striped shell. Jitterbug may judge the thought that “even though New can be scary, kindness is stronger than fear” to be “very good information,” but her change of heart at the shrink-wrapped climax comes with superficial ease.
The grown-ups who buy this will already, like their offspring, have bought the message . (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-293374-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 25, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
After a promising start, this autumnal offering ultimately disappoints.
Change is on the horizon for a trio of leaves at home in the branches of various trees in a park.
When the air grows chilly, Birch, Oak, and Maple all experience different emotions. Birch is optimistic and expectant, Oak is cautious and reluctant, and obstinate Maple feels left out as the other leaves change colors but she doesn’t. Illustrations rendered in acrylic gouache, colored pencil, and collage depict endearingly anthropomorphized leaves, with autumnal colors that pop. As the leaves learn more about fall from a pair of knowledgeable squirrels, Maple’s slow change to red is overshadowed by her impatience to join her friends. It’s only when she pulls herself free that she learns about the downside of fall—namely, the bottoms of boots, rain gutters, and rakes. Much like the shift from the bright crisp early days of autumn to the damp cold ones later in the season, it’s here that the story changes, going from a surprisingly nuanced examination of growth to something fluffy and less interesting. A young girl with straight black hair and tan skin finds the fallen leaves and takes them home, where she draws them as anthropomorphic characters, and all discussion of the importance of change is lost. Caregivers looking for a springboard to a discussion about growing up and the uncertainty of change may find this useful, but its sputtering ending detracts from its early momentum. Maybe next year will bring a more promising crop of leaves. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
After a promising start, this autumnal offering ultimately disappoints. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-358-41945-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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