Rattled readers will readily identify.
This book has a lot on its mind.
Potential triggers persistently tilt the book’s tense eyebrows, conveying perpetual anxiety. Initially grateful for a reader’s attention, the book immediately switches to panic, imagining the reader’s rejection. Then it’s all downhill. What if the reader doesn’t like the book or even sits on or colors in it? The book conjures a dozen or more horrible fates, involving misuse, destruction, and neglect. Our protagonist worries about being eaten by a monster, then realizes this fate is unlikely (“Monsters aren’t real. I don’t need to worry about them”), but a fantasy about being forgotten produces actual tears. Picturing the reader relaxed under a rainbow in a flowery field, the book wishes that it, too, could “never ever worry about anything EVER!” But the book is soon set straight, and the remaining pages remind youngsters that everyone frets sometimes, detail the physical effects of stress, and explore how easily worries snowball. At last the book realizes that the problem is worrying about what could go wrong. The solution: think about what could go right! Pearlstein’s dialogue captures youngsters’ anxieties with a mix of humor and reassurance, while Munro’s illustrations are minimalist but effective. The talking book and speech bubbles are dark green with orange highlights. The main reader is brown-skinned; other humans are diverse.
Rattled readers will readily identify. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 14, 2026
ISBN: 9781636551982
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Red Comet Press
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist.
Can anyone be perfect?
Beatrice Bottomwell always does everything right. “Most people in town didn’t even know Beatrice’s name. They just called her ‘The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes,’ because for as long as anyone could remember, she never did.” One Thursday though, she almost does something wrong (she drops some eggs while cooking at school but catches them just in time). Straightforward text describes Beatrice’s predicament as, unnerved, she ponders her almost-error and begins to worry. What if she really does do something wrong? Brightly colored watercolors and gentle humor combine to portray Beatrice’s eventful day, her growing fear and her sprightly pet hamster. During a school talent show, Beatrice finally makes a real mistake—in front of everyone. How will she cope? Learning how to relax enough to laugh and simply be herself just might do the trick. While the plot is predictable and the solution to the problem fairly pat, this is a well-intentioned story, full of acceptance and goodwill. It will be especially useful in a therapeutic setting; it may be a real comfort to a child who is afraid of making mistakes, while children dealing with similar issues will also find reassurance here.
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4022-5544-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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