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B IS FOR BEAR

Name: B IS FOR BEAR
Author: Hannah Viano
ISBN: 978-1-63217-039-2

A NATURAL ALPHABET

by Hannah Viano ; illustrated by Hannah Viano ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 13, 2015

Rate this book with an A and an O for awesome and outstanding.

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Viano interprets the letters with dramatic paper cuttings in a sophisticated, artistic style.

Each page is bordered in black with stylized images that resemble poster art of the early 1900s, but they are crafted with a contemporary graphic style with striking results. The words chosen for the letters all relate to nature, as the subtitle suggests. Most of them will be familiar to young readers such as “dandelion,” “fawn,” “grass,” “lightning bug,” and “violet.” Pleasingly, K is for “kids,” underscoring the importance of the outdoors to child development. Viano’s liberal approach makes the typically difficult letters relatively easy: there is “Queen Anne’s lace,” “underground,” and “lynx” (for X). The top of each page cites a capital and lowercase letter, with the key word opposite and descriptive sentences running across the bottom that often offer tantalizing facts. “This NEST belongs to paper wasps and is made from a mixture of chewed-up wood and spit.” The images are similar to Nikki McClure’s, made by cutting black paper and then coloring the resulting negative space digitally. The swirling school of herring is simply astounding. While adults are more likely to appreciate the artwork than children, the elegance of the images will leave an imprint with even very young listeners.

Rate this book with an A and an O for awesome and outstanding. (Alphabet book. 3-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-63217-039-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch

Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
ARROW TO ALASKA
by Hannah Viano ; illustrated by Hannah Viano

- BOOK REVIEW
S IS FOR SALMON
by Hannah Viano ; Hannah Viano

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THE PUMPKIN THIEF

From the Leaf Thief series

by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SUN THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SNOW THIEF
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BISON AND THE BUTTERFLY
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nancy Leschnikoff

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CHICKA CHICKA TRICKA TREAT

From the Chicka Chicka Book series

by Julien Chung ; illustrated by Julien Chung ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2025

A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated.

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Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets the Halloween treatment.

Chung follows the original formula to the letter. In alphabetical order, each letter climbs to the top of a tree. They are knocked back to the ground in a jumble before climbing up in sequence again. In homage to the spooky holiday theme, they scale a “creaky old tree,” and a ghostly jump scare causes the pileup. The chunky, colorful art is instantly recognizable. The charmingly costumed letters (“H swings a tail. / I wears a patch. J and K don / bows that don’t match”) are set against a dark backdrop, framed by pages with orange or purple borders. The spreads feature spiderwebs and jack-o’-lanterns. The familiar rhyme cadence is marred by the occasional clunky or awkward phrase; in particular, the adapted refrain of “Chicka chicka tricka treat” offers tongue-twisting fun, but it’s repeatedly followed by the disappointing half-rhyme “Everybody sneaka sneak.” Even this odd construction feels shoehorned into place, since “sneaking” makes little sense when every character in the book is climbing together. The final line of the book ends on a more satisfying note, with “Everybody—time to eat!”

A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated. (Picture book. 3-7)