A nicely understated lesson in politeness for the very young.
He didn’t mean to annoy all the other animals. He was just naturally curious.
“There once was a bear who liked to stare.” He’s big and orange and never says a word, but he never blinks either. On the story’s first page, he sits on the ground and stares a bit unnervingly at readers. On the facing page, he’s a little closer to them. And on the next double-page spread, all that can be seen are just his big staring eyes! Bear stares at the ladybugs enjoying a picnic; they scuttle away. Bear climbs a tree to stare at a bird family; the mother bird squawks at him to go away. He stares into a badger’s burrow and gets a good bite on the nose. But when Bear stares at a frog sitting contentedly on a lily pad, the amphibian just stares back. “Not much fun being stared at, is it?” the frog asks, and Bear admits that this is true. His gaze shifts to the water, where he sees…himself! His mouth curls into a smile, and he feels happy. Bear has learned his lesson, and now when he encounters his forest neighbors, he smiles. The text and pictures are harmoniously minimal, the former simple in structure but with rich vocabulary (“gawking,” “pondered,” “muttered”) and the latter pleasantly flat and planar, in the manner of Jon Klassen. The eyebrows do yeomen’s work.
A nicely understated lesson in politeness for the very young. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0285-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
Sure to have little ones giggling.
Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”
Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.
Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781250814388
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A powerful affirmation for all dads—the good, the flawed, and those doing the best they can.
Dedicating his latest to “caregivers who give what they never got,” Caldecott Honor winner Robinson explores complicated feelings around fatherhood.
From the outset, the book appears to be a standard-issue Father’s Day offering, pairing brief, loving sentiments with images of animals. But it soon becomes clear that Robinson has crafted something much more complex. A frog with tadpoles nestled atop his back (“Dad is here”) is followed by an illustration of an owl leaving the nest (“Dad had to go away”). More contrasts are presented: a seahorse keeping his offspring safe in his pouch (“Dad holds on tight”), two shark pups swimming away from their frenzied-looking patriarch (“Dad need lots of space”). “Dad lets you down and makes mistakes” (a porcupine accidentally jabs his little one), but “Dad picks you up and makes you feel safe” (a lion snuggles his cub). And the human fathers we meet next—diverse in skin tone and ability—are equally multifaceted. Robinson outdoes himself, his bold and richly textured paint and collage artwork popping against the background. His artwork is rife with subtleties for careful readers—for instance, the look of uncertainty in the eyes of the gorilla father described as “strong.” For all its simplicity, this colorful book is laden with meaning, depicting fathers as vulnerable, imperfect, gentle, and empathetic—in a word, deeply human.
A powerful affirmation for all dads—the good, the flawed, and those doing the best they can. (more information on the animals presented) (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
ISBN: 9781250397041
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
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