Toby is a pleasing pup, but his story doesn’t stand out from the crowded pack of dog tales.
A timid rescue dog learns to get along with his new owners, a lonely boy and his single dad.
When the unnamed narrator and his father move into a new house together, the boy finds a notice from an animal-rescue agency and asks if he can adopt a dog. At the shelter, the boy chooses Toby, a shy, midsized dog with fluffy, white fur. At first Toby is shy and withdrawn, but he gradually learns to like the boy and play with him. The untrained dog then begins to get in trouble around the house, including chewing the dad’s glasses, leading to the dad’s suggestion that the dog might need to be returned to the shelter. The boy swiftly trains Toby to obey basic commands, and in the conclusion, Toby redeems himself by finding the boy’s missing shoe. While the dog is an appealing character and the bonding of child and canine is heartwarming, Toby’s obedience training is unrealistically quick, and the lack of guidance and participation by the father in the dog’s integration into the family is distressing. Subdued illustrations in pencil and watercolor wash project a melancholy air suited to the somewhat sad little boy, who clearly needs the unquestioning love and companionship of his new pet. The main characters and a neighbor girl are all white, with a dark-skinned mother and daughter shown with their two dogs in a park scene on the final endpapers.
Toby is a pleasing pup, but his story doesn’t stand out from the crowded pack of dog tales. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-8093-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade.
An ant explores her world.
Addie Ant’s ready for adventure. Despite some trepidation about leaving the Tomato Bed, where she lives with her aunt, she plucks up her courage and ventures forth across the garden to the far side of the shed. On her journey, she meets her pal Lewis Ladybug, who greets her warmly, points the way, and offers sage advice. When Addie arrives at her destination, she’s welcomed by lovely Beatrix Butterfly and enjoys an “ant-tastic” helping of watermelon. Beatrix also provides Addie with take-home treats and a map for the “Cricket Express,” which will take her straight home. Arriving at the terminal, Addie’s delighted to meet another friend, Cleo Cricket, whose carriage service returns Addie home in “two hops.” After eating a warm tomato soup dinner, Addie falls asleep and dreams of future exploits. Adorable though not terribly original, this story brims with sensuous pleasures, both textual and visual. Kids who declare that they dislike fruits or veggies may find their mouths watering at the mentions and sights of luscious tomatoes, peas, beans, watermelons, berries, and other foodstuffs; insect-averse readers may likewise think differently after encountering these convivial, wide-eyed characters. And those flowers and herbs everywhere! The highlights are the colors that burst from the pages. Addie’s an endearing, empowering character who reassures children they’ll be able to take those first independent steps successfully.
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade. (author’s note about ants) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781797228914
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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