Free to be Big Bob, Little Bob, and Blossom.
Friendship transcends gender norms.
When Big Bob moves next door, Little Bob is leery of befriending him. The main problem isn't their size difference, it’s that they enjoy different things. Without malice apparent in the cheery, digital cartoon depictions of the smiling, light-skinned boys, Big Bob tells Little Bob, “Boys do not play with dolls….They play with trucks.” Little Bob isn’t persuaded and continues playing with his dolls, but Big Bob’s antics with his trucks and a ball destroy Little Bob’s playtime tableaux. Big Bob apologizes and explains, “You were supposed to catch the ball,” but Little Bob responds that he’s not good at playing catch. They can’t find common ground in attempts at shared activities, but this lack of connection never seems rooted in animosity, even when Big Bob remarks on Little Bob’s wearing a dress. Then Blossom, also light-skinned, moves in nearby, and she teases Little Bob about playing with dolls. This time, he’s hurt, and Big Bob comes to his defense: “Boys can do whatever they want!” Chagrined, she leaves, but Little Bob calls her back. Blossom returns, sharing that she likes playing with trucks, which Big Bob affirms since “Girls can do whatever they want, too.” The children then happily engage in play with their various toys, offering an ending that seems righteous if a bit forced.
Free to be Big Bob, Little Bob, and Blossom. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4436-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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