Readers will feel assured that anxiety is short-lived and friendship endures.
Josie, usually the best and first at almost everything, is the last in her class to lose a tooth—and she’s determined to change that.
Josie and Richard are friends with a healthy dose of competition at Blueberry Hill Elementary School. After a few unsuccessful attempts to lose a tooth just like Richard (and all her classmates), she laments, “What if she had baby teeth for the rest of her life?” Richard, the perennial friend, cheers her up with a game of shark-chases-squid tag during which Josie accidentally loses her tooth—literally. Josie worries that the Tooth Fairy won’t come through on her end of the bargain and writes her a letter of appeal. A surprising gift reveals an understanding Tooth Fairy who boosts friendship over money. Mann’s rustic pencil-and-pastel illustrations so closely resemble a child’s drawings it’s as if Josie has chronicled her own story. The inclusion of the letters to and from the Tooth Fairy may very well inspire young writers. The realistic dialogue, effective use of italics, and simple, kidlike vocabulary work well with the illustrations to create a satisfying tale on a familiar theme centered on friendship, play, and imagination. Josie has brown skin, rosy cheeks, and dark brown braids, and Richard has pale skin, freckles, and red hair.
Readers will feel assured that anxiety is short-lived and friendship endures. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9694-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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