A sweet tale about persistence whose text outshines its illustrations.
In McKnight’s illustrated children’s book, an insecure elementary schooler with a stuffed iguana is determined to find her “thing.”
Many kids at her school have athletic hobbies—all Hana has is a stuffed iguana with a crooked eye named Iggy. Hana attempts to play various sports, like soccer and gymnastics, but each time she tries, she fails to accomplish what her friends do so effortlessly. When Hana complains that she’s not good at anything, her mother replies, “You don’t have to be good at everything. Just remember what I always say—Hana Iguana has to wanna.” Hana is helping her aunt Mimi clear out her attic later that week when she comes across a pair of shiny roller skates that she definitely wants to try out. Her initial attempts at skating outside are rough, but she’s determined to improve. With Iggy by her side, Hana practices in secret until she decides to sign up for her school’s talent show to show off her new skills. The afternoon before the performance, Hana realizes that Iggy—her biggest cheerleader—has fallen out of her backpack. Kind words from her mother reinforce her flagging confidence, and she does spectacularly onstage, learning that she can do whatever she sets her mind to. This debut work from McKnight is a simple but effective story about having the courage to keep trying to find your “thing” and be good at it. Hana is an admirable character who experiences a realistic roller coaster of emotions, though the world around her is less fleshed-out. Pell’s illustrations are warm and cozy from a distance, but many of her images show inconsistencies and missing details upon closer inspection—for example, Hana is missing the entire lower half of her body on page 24. Hana is depicted as a brown-skinned girl with black curly hair.
A sweet tale about persistence whose text outshines its illustrations.Pub Date: May 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781969146619
Page Count: 78
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2026
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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