by Jacqueline Johnson ; illustrated by Chennon Roberts ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A
A comforting rhyming tale of a hungry dog’s successful surgery.
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A veterinarian operates on a pooch with peculiar tastes in this debut picture book.
The Doggy Doctor and her team of animal assistants (Poppy, a parrot; Jim, a terrier; and Dinah, a shorthair cat) are ready to aid all of the creatures brought into the vet clinic. When a Bernese mountain dog’s human “mom” calls because her pet won’t eat, the Doggy Doctor brings him in. An X-ray reveals just what the canine ate: “A rock was not the only thing— / a ball, a toy, a diamond ring! / To top it off, a fire truck, / and all these things / have gotten stuck!” For that assortment of objects, surgery is required, and the Doggy Doctor comforts both mom and patient before removing the cause of the stomachache. The matter-of-fact presentation of how a vet treats animal patients, coupled with the humor of the ridiculous things the poor dog swallowed and the helpful creatures in scrubs, makes this a comforting tale for children with pets. The poetry by Johnson, a small-animal vet, scans well, and the vocabulary is accessible to young readers throughout. Roberts, the daughter of a vet technician as well as an artist, presents diversity among both human owners and pets. Her cartoon illustrations are full of child appeal and include the added fun that the Doggy Doctor closely resembles Johnson and the assistants, the author’s real-life pets.
A comforting rhyming tale of a hungry dog’s successful surgery.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bearded Dog Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Karma Wilson ; illustrated by Jane Chapman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 16, 2024
Cheery fun that will leave series fans “egg”-static.
In his latest outing, Bear and his pals go in search of eggs.
Bear “lumbers with his friends through the Strawberry Vale.” Raven finds a nest; climbing up, “The bear finds eggs!”: a refrain that appears throughout. Instead of eating the robin’s eggs, however, Bear leaves a gift of dried berries in the nest for the “soon-to-be-chicks.” Next, the friends find 10 mallard eggs (as bright blue as the robin’s), and Bear leaves sunflower seeds. Then the wail of Mama Meadowlark, whose bright yellow undercarriage strikes a warm golden note, leads them to promise to find her lost eggs. With his friends’ assistance, Bear finds one, and they decide to paint them “so they aren’t lost again.” Another is discovered, painted, and placed in Hare’s basket. After hours of persistent searching, Bear suddenly spots the remaining two eggs “in a small patch of clover.” Before they can return these eggs, the chicks hatch and rejoin their mother. Back at his lair, Bear, with his troupe, is visited by all 17 chicks and the robin, mallard, and meadowlark moms: “And the bear finds friends!” Though this sweet spring tale centers on finding and painting eggs, it makes no overt references to Easter. The soft green and blue acrylics, predictable rhymes, and rolling rhythm make this series installment another low-key natural read-aloud.
Cheery fun that will leave series fans “egg”-static. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781665936552
Page Count: 40
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 22, 2019
A sweet reminder that it’s easy to weather a storm with the company and kindness of friends.
Is it a stormy-night scare or a bedtime book? Both!
Little Blue Truck and his good friend Toad are heading home when a storm lets loose. Before long, their familiar, now very nervous barnyard friends (Goat, Hen, Goose, Cow, Duck, and Pig) squeeze into the garage. Blue explains that “clouds bump and tumble in the sky, / but here inside we’re warm and dry, / and all the thirsty plants below / will get a drink to help them grow!” The friends begin to relax. “Duck said, loud as he could quack it, / ‘THUNDER’S JUST A NOISY RACKET!’ ” In the quiet after the storm, the barnyard friends are sleepy, but the garage is not their home. “ ‘Beep!’ said Blue. ‘Just hop inside. / All aboard for the bedtime ride!’ ” Young readers will settle down for their own bedtimes as Blue and Toad drop each friend at home and bid them a good night before returning to the garage and their own beds. “Blue gave one small sleepy ‘Beep.’ / Then Little Blue Truck fell fast asleep.” Joseph’s rich nighttime-blue illustrations (done “in the style of [series co-creator] Jill McElmurry”) highlight the power of the storm and capture the still serenity that follows. Little Blue Truck has been chugging along since 2008, but there seems to be plenty of gas left in the tank.
A sweet reminder that it’s easy to weather a storm with the company and kindness of friends. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-328-85213-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
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