A sweet children’s story about doing kind things for others.
A thoughtful child aims to share candy with a lonely man on the moon in Weisberg and Yoffe’s Halloween-themed illustrated book for young readers.
Jessica is excited for trick or treating, especially on a night with a full moon. She and her older sister, Amy—dressed as a witch and a cat, respectively—walk among the other costumed children until Jessica asks about whether a man lives on the moon and whether that location is made of cheese. “Wouldn’t the man who lives on the moon get tired of eating moldy cheese all the time?” Jessica asks. However, Amy is focused on getting candy. When Jessica gets home, she’s still thinking about the man on the moon; she writes a letter to “men who go to the moon,” asking them to share her sweets with the man up there and also to give him her enclosed witch mask, so he can block out the moon’s brightness and get better sleep. After a few days, Jessica discovers a thank-you note under her pillow and notices that the man on the moon’s penmanship is a lot like Amy’s; older readers are sure to realize that her sibling was paying a lot more attention to Jessica and her questions than the younger sister realized. Weisberg and Yoffe tell the story with enough delicacy that younger readers who believe in such figures as the tooth fairy and Santa Claus may accept the magic of the man in the moon, while older one will realize the real focus of the story is the relationship between two caring siblings. The author varies the amount of text on each page; occasional tricky vocabulary words (parlor, glimpse) may challenge newly independent readers to stretch their skills. Gousios’ full-color illustrations feature strong outlines with softer shades and lines filling in details. Close-up illustrations of Jessica and Amy are especially well executed, but others, such as those set in Jessica’s bare-walled room, feel unfinished.
A sweet children’s story about doing kind things for others.Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 979-8351759968
Page Count: 31
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
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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