This delightful, wordless story encapsulates adventure and natural beauty through its charming illustrations and glyphs.
In this picture book, a curious bear who has just emerged from hibernation explores the vast wilderness and makes some friends along the way.
An unnamed bear emerges from their cave to see a sunny spring day and wanders around the forest. Next comes summer, when the bear befriends a turtle and embarks on various adventures such as swimming and hiding from lightning. Eventually, birds warn the bear about winter. As winter descends, the bear realizes it’s finally time to return to their cave and hibernate once again. While the book provides no words, each page contains one or more glyphs that reveal the storyline. The glyphs are explained in a glossary, with some being more obvious (a rain cloud meaning “rain”) than others (a small circle within a larger circle meaning “curious”). Valero’s captivating illustrations feature deep, saturated colors and an adorably rotund bear with a magnificently expressive face. They also include some unusual angles, such as a bee’s aerial view and a caterpillar’s glimpse of a gaping bear mouth as it’s about to be eaten. The lack of words does nothing to limit the bear’s escapades, with the actions and expressions made so clear that the glyphs are not always needed (although they certainly provide a lot of fun). Valero has created a book that is utterly unique—a wonderful romp through the woods that ultimately proves words are not always necessary to tell a rich, rewarding story.
This delightful, wordless story encapsulates adventure and natural beauty through its charming illustrations and glyphs.Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9798991386067
Page Count: 73
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: today
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
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A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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