A small story with countless interactive opportunities.
In this tale reminiscent of “The Mitten,” a chick helps a very long dog find room inside a book.
A bug-eyed yellow chick named Pip welcomes everyone to their book. Light blue speech bubbles and vast negative space draw attention to the tiny protagonist. Pip asks readers if they can invite Timothy Vanderlong, “the longest dog in the world,” into the book. So begin opportunities for interaction in this gentle comedy. A dog nose sneaks onto the verso, with light blue shadow below. The stark white background makes the otherwise ordinary appendage intriguing, especially when Pip encourages readers to “pet his nose gently.” The warm instructions and cheerful illustrations throughout the brief story strengthen readers’ interest in and enjoyment of books by making everyone feel part of the adventure. As Timothy tries to squeeze himself onto a spread, children learn about supportive friendship as well as physical space limitations. Wiggly kids can stretch and coil just like Timothy, building their imaginations. The only bit that may be confusing for adults reading with children is that Timothy’s speech is not captured in speech bubbles but in bold black floating text. There is a missed opportunity for creating color-coded speech bubbles, which would help younger children distinguish character dialogue. A satisfying foldout page to help fit Timothy and the sweet entry of Elly the elephant (or at least Elly’s foot) add pops of tame surprise. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A small story with countless interactive opportunities. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-60537-789-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...
Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.
Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0237-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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