A sweet reminder that being honest about your feelings yields kindness and understanding.
Sometimes doing nothing is everything.
Greg, a black-and-white cat, is unconcerned with others’ preoccupations. When a peppy, teal cat tries to engage Greg in play, Greg declines. The feline is invited to a party by a well-meaning red pup, but, imagining the canine shenanigans that might ensue, Greg politely demurs. The invitations keep rolling in (Exploration! Space travel!), but upon considering each scenario, Greg can foresee only bad outcomes. Undeterred by Greg’s reticence, a friendly astronaut kitty finally asks what Greg would like to do. A colorful explosion of suggestions burst forth from an array of friendly animals, but Greg is not having it. “STOP!” Greg howls. It’s not that the cat “can’t be bothered.” Rather, Greg’s feeling sad: “All I want to do is nothing.” The animals immediately understand and ask to join in the inertia, a gentle, satisfying gesture. Though the twist at the end falls a bit flat, the artwork is tremendously appealing, alternating simple but expressive drawings with splashy, detailed spreads. The palette gives the pictures a rich, vintage feel. Kids who are working on identifying and expressing their feelings will relate to Greg, and grown-ups will appreciate that the book offers a model for using one’s words to convey one’s needs.
A sweet reminder that being honest about your feelings yields kindness and understanding. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780711287457
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground.
A little red sleigh has big Christmas dreams.
Although the detailed, full-color art doesn’t anthropomorphize the protagonist (which readers will likely identify as a sled and not a sleigh), a close third-person text affords the object thoughts and feelings while assigning feminine pronouns. “She longed to become Santa’s big red sleigh,” reads an early line establishing the sleigh’s motivation to leave her Christmas-shop home for the North Pole. Other toys discourage her, but she perseveres despite creeping self-doubt. A train and truck help the sleigh along, and when she wishes she were big, fast, and powerful like them, they offer encouragement and counsel patience. When a storm descends after the sleigh strikes out on her own, an unnamed girl playing in the snow brings her to a group of children who all take turns riding the sleigh down a hill. When the girl brings her home, the sleigh is crestfallen she didn’t reach the North Pole. A convoluted happily-ever-after ending shows a note from Santa that thanks the sleigh for giving children joy and invites her to the North Pole next year. “At last she understood what she was meant to do. She would build her life up spreading joy, one child at a time.” Will she leave the girl’s house to be gifted to other children? Will she stay and somehow also reach ever more children? Readers will be left wondering. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 31.8% of actual size.)
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72822-355-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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