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KID PENGUIN

From the Reggie series , Vol. 1

A wacky and weirdly wise series of scenarios solved with comical kid logic.

A webcomic-turned–graphic novel about a youngster exploring his world.

Reggie, an anthropomorphic penguin living in the suburbs, has all the familiar idiosyncrasies that make young children both charming and baffling. He finds hilariously imperfect—yet ultimately successful—ways to solve kid problems like a too-drippy popsicle (letting it melt into his hat and then slurping up the “grape-sicle soup!”) or the dreaded toddler leash (running around on all fours like a dog makes it a much more fun experience), and his zany energy enlivens a text that treads comfortable ground for young readers. On school picture day, he gives himself an impromptu haircut before trying to glue the snippets back on, setting into motion a cascade of calamity that ends in him donning a cowboy hat atop a glue-y mess. In another story, he collaborates with friends to create a city for roly-polies during recess. When the roly-polies reject their efforts, their teacher suggests that they relocate their construction to better suit the bugs’ chosen habitat, with great success. Reggie’s editorial interludes between stories offer more opportunity to connect with this charming character. A cursory cast of animal folks include a fox, bear, and goat; some readers may be a bit confused when Reggie mimics a dog (do pets exist in this world?). Expressive cartoons in muted primary colors keep the story moving at a steady pace.

A wacky and weirdly wise series of scenarios solved with comical kid logic. (Graphic early reader. 4-8)

Pub Date: June 6, 2023

ISBN: 9780759557567

Page Count: 80

Publisher: Little, Brown Ink

Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023

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THE ME TREE

Celebrates both alone time and community—each one makes the other sweeter.

A disgruntled bear searches for solitude.

The cave is much too crowded; Bear needs to find another place to live. The community notice board is filled with options, but none is more appealing than a treehouse. A whole house in a tree? Bear plants a signpost out front so everyone knows that this is the titular “Me Tree.” But alas, Bear is not alone. There are squirrels munching on popcorn in the theater room, bees buzzing in the bedroom, and a very (very) slow sloth using the toilet. Bear bellows in frustration: “I just want to be… / ALONE!” The menagerie of animals slumps sadly away. (Sloth even carries a note that reads: “I am sad.”) The text is paced for emergent readers, but those wanting more of a challenge can also scan the plethora of notes and signs found within the art. Belote’s humor shines in the details (the ingredients listed on the “Acorn Flakes” box, for example, include “dirt” and “more dirt”). Some vocabulary, such as potpourri, seems a bit much, but most words skim easily along, thrumming with Bear’s grumpiness (and eventual change of heart). (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Celebrates both alone time and community—each one makes the other sweeter. (Early reader. 5-8)

Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-38485-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Penguin Workshop

Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021

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THE BEAR ATE YOUR SANDWICH

Young readers and listeners will laugh out loud as they closely examine the pictures and find the jokes in this highly...

Who took the sandwich?

An unseen narrator explains what became of a missing sandwich in an inventive selection that places the blame on a bear—but not in the way one might expect. Lured to a pickup truck by the scent of berries, a curious black bear dines and then falls asleep in its bed. While he snoozes, he is accidentally transported to an entirely new world. Mistaking the city before him for just a different forest, he ventures out, comically behaving as if investigating a woodland environment. The telephone poles might as well be trees, and the wet cement feels a lot like mud, after all. The text plays along with the bear’s misconception, while the energetic and appealing acrylics show what the bear really sees and interacts with; children will delight in the details as well as the humor involved in spotting the disparities between the pictures and words. But wait—just who is telling this tall tale, anyway? And is said individual worthy of our trust? A trifle more explanation or pointed questioning would have made the story just about perfect, but as it stands, this enjoyable romp is sure to elicit giggles.

Young readers and listeners will laugh out loud as they closely examine the pictures and find the jokes in this highly interactive urban adventure. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-375-85860-4

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2014

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