A startlingly informative alternative to the run-of-the-mill potty book. (Picture book. 3-7)
The call of nature prods a young three-toed sloth to go it alone.
Young Kyle, Thornhill informs readers, does everything at such a glacial pace that he needs to “go” only once a week. When that once-a-week urge rolls around, he is taken aback when his mother announces he can make the long trip from the rain forest canopy to the ground to do his duty all by himself. Kyle isn’t so sure, but he sets out, taking heart along the way from the encouragement of neighbors at various levels: a red-spectacled parrot, a whipsnake, a tiger-legged monkey tree frog, and a leafcutter ant. Sharp-eyed readers will notice Kyle’s mother, hidden behind leaves but keeping watch all the way down, in addition to the various named animals. Barron’s cut-paper collages feature crisp edges and textured, painted surfaces that hint at algae-covered sloth fur. Her palette for the foliage is dominated by light greens and blues, which doesn’t evoke the deep, emerald greens typically associated with the rain forest but does pick up Kyle’s odd, blue eyes. Several double-page spreads are oriented vertically, forcing readers to turn the book 90 degrees and emphasizing the great height from which Kyle descends. Two concluding notes provide further information on the alimentary system of the three-toed sloth and natural camouflage; Thornhill’s sources appear on the final page.
A startlingly informative alternative to the run-of-the-mill potty book. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-77147-075-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
No laugh track required: This story should generate genuine giggles.
Saturday Night Live mainstay Thompson makes his picture-book debut with the tale of a young rabbit who discovers that being the class clown is harder than it looks.
To make a splash on his first day of school, Bunny decides to adopt a new persona: Funny Bunny. He performs his act for his classmates, who are a tough audience…or is the material the problem? (Sample joke: “What town does milk come from? Milk-waukee!”) Actually, Bunny wins over one classmate: Hedgehog thinks Bunny has comedy chops and just needs practice. This gives Bunny an idea: Why don’t they work together? (Thompson’s co-author knows something about collaborating on jokes: Tucker has been an SNL writer for two decades.) Bunny and Hedgehog’s writing sessions are fruitful, and when Bunny tries out his new material on his classmates, he brings down the house. Clearly, teamwork and persistence pay off in this silly yet heartening tale, although laughs aren’t Bunny’s only reward. In Hedgehog he has found a friend (and, from the looks of things, perhaps a manager). The book’s jokes, including two pages’ worth that conclude the story, will be manna for punsters, who presumably aren’t supposed to notice that there’s no qualitative difference between the jokes that amused Bunny’s class and the ones that bombed. Neal’s appealing digital art focuses heavily on reaction shots from an all-animal cast living in a world of amusement park colors.
No laugh track required: This story should generate genuine giggles. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781250364814
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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
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