This new cast of crayons will entertain readers, and admirers of the first book will be pleased to see a few familiar...
Duncan’s crayons are back in this comical sequel to The Day the Crayons Quit (2013), and this time they need to be rescued.
Maroon is broken and has been stuffed between the couch cushions, Turquoise got stuck to a sock in the dryer, and Orange and Yellow have melted together in the hot sun. Though a few crayons might have been more aptly placed in the first book—Pea Green has run away because no one likes peas or the color pea green—Daywalt and Jeffers still manage to treat readers to a new story. Mixed-media illustrations, done with crayons and photographic postcards, introduce lively new scenery and brilliant characters. Big Chunky Toddler Crayon is desperate to escape from Duncan’s baby brother; Neon Red is on a cross-country trip back to Duncan’s house after having been left behind on a family vacation; and Glow in the Dark needs rescuing from the sinister basement. Both Neon Red and Glow in the Dark are reproduced with astounding vibrancy, and readers who turn out the lights while viewing Glow in the Dark’s postcard are in for a real surprise. Fans of Jeffers will be charmed when they discover characters from his previous works hidden in the postcards’ stamps.
This new cast of crayons will entertain readers, and admirers of the first book will be pleased to see a few familiar colors. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-3991-7275-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated.
Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets the Halloween treatment.
Chung follows the original formula to the letter. In alphabetical order, each letter climbs to the top of a tree. They are knocked back to the ground in a jumble before climbing up in sequence again. In homage to the spooky holiday theme, they scale a “creaky old tree,” and a ghostly jump scare causes the pileup. The chunky, colorful art is instantly recognizable. The charmingly costumed letters (“H swings a tail. / I wears a patch. J and K don / bows that don’t match”) are set against a dark backdrop, framed by pages with orange or purple borders. The spreads feature spiderwebs and jack-o’-lanterns. The familiar rhyme cadence is marred by the occasional clunky or awkward phrase; in particular, the adapted refrain of “Chicka chicka tricka treat” offers tongue-twisting fun, but it’s repeatedly followed by the disappointing half-rhyme “Everybody sneaka sneak.” Even this odd construction feels shoehorned into place, since “sneaking” makes little sense when every character in the book is climbing together. The final line of the book ends on a more satisfying note, with “Everybody—time to eat!”
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781665954785
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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