This sweet, feel-good tale about a can-do kid is in tune with its audience.
A young girl goes beachcombing and finds an unexpected friend.
Clem collects treasures both natural and human-made, and a small crab comes entangled in the plastic that makes up some of her collection. While heading home on the bus with her sister, Clem discovers that the crab has unwittingly stowed away in her pants leg. In her kitchen, she makes a home for the crab, then brings him to school along with all the plastic waste she found on the beach as part of her show and tell. Crab escapes, scaring and delighting her classmates, and the teacher tells Clem to take him back to the beach. Clem replies,“The beach is messy and dangerous. I try my best to keep it clean, but it’s a big job.” When she returns to the beach, she is delighted to find that her classmates are there already, helping to clean up. She feels much better about returning Crab to his newly pristine environment and makes a promise that she will always look after the beach: “for Crab, and all the other sea creatures.” Lumbers’ skillful, pleasingly composed pencil, crayon, and watercolor illustrations and simple but expressive text are perfectly suited to her story, capturing the ingenuous earnestness of her young protagonist. Clem and her sister are white; Clem’s classmates are diverse.
This sweet, feel-good tale about a can-do kid is in tune with its audience. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5415-9619-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Andersen Press USA
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
Though it is light on specific information about how and why teeth are lost, most children will enjoy relating to Bear in...
Wilson and Chapman continue this popular series that began with Bear Snores On (2002).
Bear has invited his friends for lunch, when “something wiggled, and it wobbled…something moved when he chewed! It was… / Bear’s / loose / tooth!” In full-bleed spreads with a palette dominated by blues and greens, Chapman ably portrays Bear’s concern over this dental dilemma as well as the genuine empathy and determination of his many animal friends when they try to help remove the tooth. On several pages Bear looks right at readers as he reacts to his predicament, bringing them immediately into the story. After Hare, Mouse, Wren, Owl, Badger and others all fail at prying it loose, Bear “used his tongue and…gave a little nudge” until it falls out. A fairy comes as Bear sleeps and leaves “blueberries where Bear’s tooth had been!” Wilson keeps young readers engaged with rhyming text that keeps the gentle action flowing.
Though it is light on specific information about how and why teeth are lost, most children will enjoy relating to Bear in his latest oh-so-cozy adventure. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5855-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2011
Disney art paired with an affirming message makes for a pleasant diversion.
Popular Disney characters guide children toward independence and empowerment.
Childhood involves taking small steps into enchanted lands of self-discovery. These forays lead to challenges but wonders, too. Who better to help kids along this path than celebrated Disney and Pixar icons, idolized courtesy of cinema and TV screens? Children sharing this book with grown-ups will likely be more thrilled at simply spotting and identifying cartoon favorites on these pages than listening to, let alone contemplating, the lengthy, somewhat overblown text, which may go over their heads. After all, very young children won’t yet know what lies ahead—or have figured out what they’ve achieved or will accomplish—when they’re on the brink of exciting life journeys. Recognizing and naming favorites—characters from Frozen, Up, Coco, and Moana—will boost many children’s self-esteem, one of this book’s credos. Some classic characters might be less familiar to today’s younger set, but they’re still powerfully appealing. Many words, set in larger type throughout, are eye-catching. The inimitable Disney illustrative and design style remains captivating and transcends generations. Though many characters from earlier Disney works are White (Alice, Peter, Pinocchio), those from more recent films reflect racial and ethnic diversity, among them Moana, who is Polynesian, and Coco’s Miguel, who is Mexican. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Disney art paired with an affirming message makes for a pleasant diversion. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781368077750
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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