Children will enjoy the experience of reading this book again and again, noticing something new each time.
What could be the perfect pet? A fairy? A giant? Maybe a mermaid? The child in this story tells of all the wonderful things they would do if only they had a unicorn.
A small child with brown skin and short, curly hair appears to be in a museum admiring medieval unicorn tapestries when a wish for one becomes reality. The child is whisked away by the unicorn, who provides sweet treats for every meal, long rides on its back, and even demonstrations of its magic. The unicorn turns a backyard into a colorful jungle of flowers, and the gloomy bedroom of an older kid who’s clearly into emo into a fairy-tale scene complete with a surprising change of attire. Readers will enjoy pointing out characters and items they will recognize from other fairy tales and stories, and they will have fun with some of the very clever rhymes in which the illustrations do double duty as rebuses by representing missing text. Readers learn that unicorns’ “favorite food is ice cream, / vanilla just one scoop. / I think they do a multicolored, / unicorny…”; a turn of the page reveals the missing rhyming word. Hint: It starts with the letter P and will have preschoolers in gales of giggles. This story is an excellent lap read, and the fun rhyming text and bright, easily decoded, whimsical illustrations with plenty of white space also make it a winning read-aloud. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.3-by-18.8-inch double-page spreads viewed at 75% of actual size.)
Children will enjoy the experience of reading this book again and again, noticing something new each time. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-500-65226-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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