Gilbert and his friends return to delight their fans in this look at their last day of school. The normal classroom routine is replaced by cleaning desks, reminiscing about the year and practicing the poems and songs they will recite for their parents that afternoon. Recess is spent speculating as to who will win which awards. Gilbert is especially worried about this, as he cannot think of anything that he is better at than his classmates. But all works out in the end, and a little ice cream after the final school bell cheers up all the students. And looking out the window, Gilbert is heartened to learn that even Miss Byrd loves summer vacation—she bicycles past the shop wearing Gilbert’s gift. DeGroat perfectly portrays the essence of the last day of school, from the strange surroundings of a classroom stripped of all decorations, to the mixed emotions of students and teachers alike. Her classic illustrations capture body language and facial expression to a T. A wonderful celebration of the end of a school year, ideal for preparing kindergartners. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-06-079114-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2006
This tale of an aspiring librarian is ideal for all kinds of storytimes.
A vocal girl finds her vocation.
A diverse class of 12 youngsters finds out that Penelope, a Black girl with glasses and a barrette, will be the next student-librarian. Her classmate Angela, who drew a “Quiet Please” sign in anticipation, looks horrified by this choice, an interesting hint at conflict that goes unaddressed. Penelope has practiced for this role all year, working on her alphabetization skills and cementing her status as a book lover. Unfortunately, she also has a shockingly loud voice and struggles with impulse control, and her brief stint in the library is marked by fallen books, startled students, and a sudden domino effect when shock waves from her voice knock over an entire bookshelf. Penelope decides that her skills are better spent in outdoor storytime, and the book indicates that she keeps trying in the library. In real life, children’s and elementary school libraries usually aren’t as quiet as adult spaces, and this book could bolster the stereotype of the ideal librarian as sedate and shush-y. It’s also unclear whether Paige Turner Library is connected to Penelope’s school or a stand-alone building, raising some logistical questions. But this would be fun to read aloud, especially to a group of library lovers, and the bright, blocky illustrations are pitch-perfect for the tone. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
This tale of an aspiring librarian is ideal for all kinds of storytimes. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781665910545
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough, but its twinkle is on the faint side.
A boy gets an unusual payoff after wishing on a star.
Sitting outside one night, Clyde notices a lone star in the sky. He recites the “Star light, star bright” incantation and makes a wish. Disappointed when it doesn’t come true, he returns home. But later, while he’s asleep, the star he’d wished on sneaks into his bedroom and makes a wish on him! Startled awake, Clyde wonders how to grant Star’s wish. He shares some ideas (and actual objects) with her: a game of checkers, tent camping, tossing a Frisbee, and walkie-talkies. Star likes them, but they’re not her wishes; Clyde confides there’s no one to enjoy them with—and wonders if perhaps Star had wished for a friend. No one will be surprised at what Clyde next confesses to Star. The pair winds up playing together and becoming besties. This is a sweet but thin and predictable story about making friends. Still, readers will appreciate meeting feisty, celestial Star. The author reaches for humor using colloquialisms (“freaked out”), and kids will like the comfortable familiarity that develops between the cheery protagonists. The colored-pencil illustrations are rendered in a limited palette of mostly dark blues and purples, appropriate to the nighttime setting. Star is a luminous, pale yellow with a white topknot and has a star-dappled aura around her. Purple-pj’d Clyde wears bunny slippers and presents White. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough, but its twinkle is on the faint side. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-399-17132-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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