Even independent witches need some companions, but how many is too many? (Picture book. 4-7)
An independent witch who wishes for a playmate gets a little more than she bargained for.
Margaret has lots of interests that keep her busy, but sometimes it might be nice to have a friend to share them with. So she adds some extra ingredients to a spell to summon a playmate…but it backfires, producing 12 cats on her doorstop. Taylor’s detailed, textured colored-pencil illustrations show all the fun Margaret has with her new pals. But they also show all the trouble they cause: the mess they make, the food they eat, the hair they shed, and oh, the poop! So Margaret takes drastic measures to make them disappear (cat owners will not be surprised at what drives them away) and enjoys some brief alone time before realizing she misses their company. Spells to bring them back fail, and searches are in vain. But then, anticlimactically, she dreams of a spell to retrieve them and finds the cats in her bed when she wakes. Margaret is a childlike witch with light skin, short blondish hair, a purple dress, and a pointed witch’s hat. The pages that highlight the cats’ antics are the best (imagine the game of Twister!)—readers will long for their return along with Margaret. Still, those leaning toward introversion may cringe that there’s no compromise between all or nothing.
Even independent witches need some companions, but how many is too many? (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 24, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267569-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
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
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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
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