Still, in this day and age of lice, parents may wish the snowmen shared something other than hats.
This sharing lesson is about as didactic as they come.
Little Snowman Stan lives with his friends (oddly, there are no family relationships) in Freezeland, where it is always cold and snowy. While the snowmen all look a little different, each wears a hat of some sort. That is, until Dmitri arrives without one—a blizzard blew his hat away: “Sad and without my hat, I kept going. Until I arrived here.” Impetuously, the generous and bighearted Stan hands over his own blue plaid hat so Dmitri can wear it for a few days. But Dmitri has no intention of giving it back. The snowmen meet and discuss solutions to the problem, but all focus on either punishing Dmitri or forcing either Dmitri or Stan to live hatless. But Stan comes up with a sharing solution acceptable to all: They will rotate the hats so that no one goes more than one day bareheaded. The watercolor snowmen convey emotion through the curve of their mouths and the roundness of their eyes. It’s a cute-enough, though plodding, story with sweet illustrations, but readers are practically hit over the head with the sharing message. Who knows, though—didactic sometimes proves to be pretty popular; look at Rainbow Fish.
Still, in this day and age of lice, parents may wish the snowmen shared something other than hats. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-60537-121-4
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: Sept. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2012
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist.
Can anyone be perfect?
Beatrice Bottomwell always does everything right. “Most people in town didn’t even know Beatrice’s name. They just called her ‘The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes,’ because for as long as anyone could remember, she never did.” One Thursday though, she almost does something wrong (she drops some eggs while cooking at school but catches them just in time). Straightforward text describes Beatrice’s predicament as, unnerved, she ponders her almost-error and begins to worry. What if she really does do something wrong? Brightly colored watercolors and gentle humor combine to portray Beatrice’s eventful day, her growing fear and her sprightly pet hamster. During a school talent show, Beatrice finally makes a real mistake—in front of everyone. How will she cope? Learning how to relax enough to laugh and simply be herself just might do the trick. While the plot is predictable and the solution to the problem fairly pat, this is a well-intentioned story, full of acceptance and goodwill. It will be especially useful in a therapeutic setting; it may be a real comfort to a child who is afraid of making mistakes, while children dealing with similar issues will also find reassurance here.
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4022-5544-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011
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