by Jackie Clark Mancuso illustrated by Jackie Clark Mancuso ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 7, 2018
Absolutely delightful, especially for dog lovers and Francophiles.
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An expatriate dog in Paris meets a young stray and helps him search for home in this series picture book.
Hudson, a Norwich terrier, relocated to France from America with his owner. Since then, he’s become fluent in French and familiar with what the great city has to offer. One day, he enjoys a warm baguette, sees a movie, and visits the botanical gardens. He’s followed by a dachshund puppy who’s too young or too scared to answer questions, such as “Are you lost?” Hudson volunteers to help the pup by taking him all around the city, hoping he’ll recognize his neighborhood. Hudson then tries giving the young canine away, but no one wants him. Finally, Hudson asks his owner to adopt the stray. Happily, she does, and the puppy—dubbed “Pierre”—joins Hudson in his explorations. Mancuso (Hudson in Provence, 2015, etc.) illustrates Hudson’s adventures with beautiful, full-page gouache paintings that vividly capture the bustle of Paris: not just expected landmarks, such as the Métro, but also, for example, the graffiti-covered walls of the Maison de Serge Gainsbourg. Cinematic references (Jacques Tati, Charlie Chaplin) will appeal to cinephiles. Hudson’s concern for the puppy is touching but never overdone. A glossary offers pronunciations and definitions for French words.
Absolutely delightful, especially for dog lovers and Francophiles.Pub Date: April 7, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-9886058-5-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: La Librairie Parisienne
Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 2, 2018
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016
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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More by Alice Schertle
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry
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