A tender, brilliant tour de force from the Netherlands.
An exuberant young fox plays joyfully among birds and animals, not always paying attention to possible dangers.
He cannot resist racing behind two purple butterflies, causing him to zoom past the edge of an outcropping, falling heavily. His story is first told wordlessly in detailed illustrations that continue as text begins while he is unconscious, narrating a dream in which he recalls his development from birth, playing with his brothers and sisters, being cared for and taught by his parents, and having adventures in the world around him. A human child on a bicycle appears, whose activities are presented wordlessly. The narration picks up Fox’s dream again and comes full circle with the child finding Little Fox and returning him home safely to his fox family. Van de Vendel’s text describes the action in carefully constructed stream-of-consciousness, always exactly complementing Tolman’s remarkable illustrations, which are rendered in a mesmerizing variety of forms and techniques. (Production notes at the end provide insight into their creation.) They invite readers into a beautiful, fully realized dreamscape. Backgrounds are gray-green, white, and soft tan, with birds and animals accurately drawn and softly hued. Little Fox and his family are seen in the brightest possible shade of orange, and the kind human child, who is White, also has bright orange hair and clothing. Readers will cheer Little Fox’s full recovery while they study each page to find every glorious detail.
A tender, brilliant tour de force from the Netherlands. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-64614-007-7
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Levine Querido
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2020
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
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