A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the origins of our most beloved titles.
A book’s journey from a thought to a home.
It’s been decades since Aliki’s How a Book Is Made (1986) was published, and clearly the process is worth revisiting in the 21st century. We begin with a tan-skinned artist, living an idyllic country lifestyle. She brings her work into town via bike, then presents it to her publisher. In a somewhat sped-up series of events, editors, designers, and others look at the layouts before they’re sent to the printer. The resulting books go to a large metropolis, and one finds its way into a school library and the arms of a child. Depicting covers from many classic picture books, Cooper drives home the point that each book has undergone this process and, like the one in readers’ hands, is “made with love.” His watercolor illustrations alternate between sweeping urban and rural vistas, while his human figures, varied in skin tone, are often little more than thin ink outlines, yet still capable of conveying deep emotion. This beauty is echoed in the text’s poetic lyricism, as when Cooper writes that the artist is “carrying her art across a field swirling with wind, wildflowers, bees, swallows, and color.” The printer in the book is American rather than in a country overseas, a not-unheard-of situation but not the experience of the average U.S. book, either.
A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the origins of our most beloved titles. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 22, 2025
ISBN: 9781419766756
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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