Butler’s latest installment featuring the stalwart, fuzzy brown companion has Barney (My Brown Bear Barney in Trouble, 1993, etc.) attending a rambunctious birthday party with his owner. On the big day, the narrator and her best friend Fred arrive bearing gifts for Harold, the birthday boy. The problem is that Harold’s baby sister, Poppy, promptly confiscates Barney. The series of misadventures that ensues will seem perfectly reasonable to tots and alarmingly familiar to parents and caregivers. In the chaos of the three celebrants pitching out of the hammock “ship” and a subsequent, rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday,” Barney gets alternately painted and dunked in the aquarium by Poppy. This necessitates not one but two baths for the soiled toy. Thus when the party is over—and Harold’s mother recumbent upon her bed—Barney looks all fluffy and new while the partygoers look quite disheveled but beamingly happy. Butler’s simple prose is just right for young children. Preschoolers in particular will relish the meticulous descriptions of the day’s activities, which include an in-depth accounting of the preparations leading up to the big event. Fuller’s detailed watercolors, reminiscent of photographs, are presented scrapbook style, with each individual illustration framed with an edging of color and occupying three quarters of every page. Brimming with adventure and fun, this is one little ones will enjoy hearing over and again. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2001
ISBN: 0-688-17548-1
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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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