Awkward writing takes a toll on a clever and sensitively handled premise.
A boy with autism visits the dentist while his imaginary counterpart battles monsters that cause tooth decay in a picture book about good dental hygiene.
In the latest entry in the Amazingly Awesome Amani series, Amani stays up eating snacks in bed, and his mother scolds him and says he’ll ruin his teeth. She warns, “Make sure you brush your teeth….You don’t want the molar monsters to get you.” That night, Amani dreams that shadowy molar monsters, led by one wearing a crown, have come to take over his teeth. He wakes up just in time, fiercely brushing his teeth with his mother’s help before his dental appointment. At the dentist, Amani and his sister, Sandy, meet Dr. Kersch, who understands that Amani needs some extra coaching after his mother explains he has autism. Dr. Kersch knows just what to do, showing Amani all her tools and letting him look into his mother’s mouth before it’s his turn. Back at home, Amani imagines himself as the superpowered Awesome Amani; even with his powers, the molar monsters are almost too much, until Super Sandy appears to save the day with mouthwash. The New York–based co-authors do an excellent job of casting Amani as a hero who learns about keeping his teeth clean in order to defeat monsters; although others help him, he handles his fears independently, becoming a hero on his own. Dr. Kersch’s patient approach, focusing on clarity, setting expectations, and navigating Amani’s sensory sensitivities may comfort children afraid of visiting the dentist for the first time. As depicted in cartoonlike illustrations by iNDOS Studio, Amani’s family members all have the same brown skin tone but different shades of hair; Dr. Kersch is pale-skinned with dark blond hair. The writing is clunky, with tenses that shift back and forth from the present to the past, a device that may confuse independent readers. Those shifts weaken an otherwise strong message of what a visit to the dentist is like and the benefits of good tooth care.
Awkward writing takes a toll on a clever and sensitively handled premise.Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 979-8-218-01930-3
Page Count: 72
Publisher: T.A.S.K. Media
Review Posted Online: Sept. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
