A rather dry story with disappointing illustrations ultimately leaves readers unsatisfied.
An anthropomorphic take on a possible origin of hockey.
On a frozen Canadian pond, two ravens chip away at a block of ice. Startled by a pack of wolves, they fly away, leaving the wolves to discover the slippery pond on their own. Finding their way on the slippery surface, the wolves start their own game, pushing the ice to one another using muzzles and paws. Before long the game becomes animated, and the wolves chase one another. Eventually the ice chunk is too small for wolves’ paws and they leave, so the ravens resume their game using twigs as sticks. Domm’s straightforward text depicts these animals’ antics as part of this icy play, positing that perhaps hockey was invented by these animals. The inspiration for this tale seems to have been the fact that both ravens and wolves are playful, elucidated in the spare backmatter (though without sources). Domm’s blunt juxtaposition of apparently digitally collaged elements is often jarring, with an often disorienting flattening of perspective. The illustrations represent both wolves and ravens realistically, with no anthropomorphization of expressions or postures. They neither expand upon the text nor offer visual details to entice readers to look more closely. Nicholas Oldland’s Hockey in the Wild (2020) is a far more entertaining spin on hockey-playing animals.
A rather dry story with disappointing illustrations ultimately leaves readers unsatisfied. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77108-941-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
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
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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