A slight “Little Mermaid”–esque tale with an abrupt, less-than satisfying ending.
What could be more magical than a moonbow?
Mimbi the seal and Kipo the sea turtle hear an amazing and terrifying legend from a storytelling octopus: Any sea creature gazing at the rare glow becomes human! Playing beneath the waves, the young friends are caught unawares by a storm. When they poke their heads through the water, a moonbow stretches overhead. Their miraculous transformations into children include clothing and the ability to speak in the tongue of a kindly white fisherman, who knows the legend and takes them home when he finds them on the beach. They want to return to their former selves, but the only means of accomplishing this, says the fisherman, is to swim beneath a wave of stars. This fable demands a huge suspension of disbelief. Brown glosses over the trauma of the transformation in three sentences. White-presenting Mimbi and black-presenting Kipo somehow understand human behaviors as well as language. Also, two rare phenomena, the moonbow and the wave of stars, conveniently occur within 24 hours. Wimmer seamlessly combines black-and-white sketches with sweet full-color spreads, helping to bridge many of the story’s gaps. The best element isn’t even a character in the story—it’s Mimbi’s triton-grasping mer-king doll. Readers will be charmed by the subtle changes in the mer-king’s expressions. A Spanish-language edition translated by Luis Amavisca will release simultaneously.
A slight “Little Mermaid”–esque tale with an abrupt, less-than satisfying ending. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-84-17673-41-3
Page Count: 44
Publisher: NubeOcho
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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