by Jennifer Zivoin ; illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 10, 2020
No sibling rivalry in this tender and loving tale.
Two siblings discover they can accomplish amazing things together.
Bunni is older, clever, and inventive. Pooka is little, also clever, and wants to do everything that Bunni does. Bunni draws a plan and builds a castle from objects in the room. Upon leaving for a whistling lesson, Bunni warns Pooka not to touch. Of course Pooka must investigate and is mightily impressed by the creation. A bit too much enthusiasm leads to the collapse of the structure and a big “Uh oh.” Pooka tries to fix it, but nothing works. Instead she decides to move small things and create a whole new design. When Bunni returns, it is the older sib’s turn to be impressed and amazed, only to accidently knock this one over also. But no tears, no recriminations—they will build a better castle together. Zivoin is never preachy, allowing young readers to absorb the gentle lesson about sibling love, acceptance, and just getting along. Bright, colorful illustrations depict the pair as incredibly nonfrightening furry monsters with heaps of personality. Bunni is purple and has pigtails tied with bows; Pooka is bright green with red and pink horns on her head. The pictorial details beautifully enhance and flesh out the tale with charming details.
No sibling rivalry in this tender and loving tale. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4338-3214-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2020
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by Hoda Kotb ; illustrated by Chloe Dominique ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2024
Pleasant enough but not particularly original.
Uplifting messages of positivity from the Today show anchor.
Hope springs eternal, so the saying goes. Kotb agrees, here delivering to children the cheery news that hope lives inside all of them and that whatever they might wish for can be theirs. All they need is a sunny outlook, and the possibilities for happy outcomes are virtually endless. Children’s dreams can be in-the-moment ones—like purple ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry—or more far-ranging ones, such as growing tall enough to reach that high shelf easily or for hair that’s long enough to braid. It doesn’t matter, the author reassures young readers. Your aspirations will be realized, so don’t give up on them—just keep believing in them and, most of all, in yourself. Throughout, Kotb calls hope a rainbow, a feeling, a gift, and a wish. Hope is “new friends you’ll find— / friends who are loving and funny and kind.” Hope is “practicing your heart out, letter by letter.” The book’s overarching theme is upbeat, but its bouncy rhyming text is clumsy. The child-appealing illustrations are colorful and lively, though they have a generic look. The cast of wide-eyed characters is racially diverse; some have visible disabilities.
Pleasant enough but not particularly original. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780593624128
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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by Karma Wilson ; illustrated by Jane Chapman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 16, 2024
Cheery fun that will leave series fans “egg”-static.
In his latest outing, Bear and his pals go in search of eggs.
Bear “lumbers with his friends through the Strawberry Vale.” Raven finds a nest; climbing up, “The bear finds eggs!”: a refrain that appears throughout. Instead of eating the robin’s eggs, however, Bear leaves a gift of dried berries in the nest for the “soon-to-be-chicks.” Next, the friends find 10 mallard eggs (as bright blue as the robin’s), and Bear leaves sunflower seeds. Then the wail of Mama Meadowlark, whose bright yellow undercarriage strikes a warm golden note, leads them to promise to find her lost eggs. With his friends’ assistance, Bear finds one, and they decide to paint them “so they aren’t lost again.” Another is discovered, painted, and placed in Hare’s basket. After hours of persistent searching, Bear suddenly spots the remaining two eggs “in a small patch of clover.” Before they can return these eggs, the chicks hatch and rejoin their mother. Back at his lair, Bear, with his troupe, is visited by all 17 chicks and the robin, mallard, and meadowlark moms: “And the bear finds friends!” Though this sweet spring tale centers on finding and painting eggs, it makes no overt references to Easter. The soft green and blue acrylics, predictable rhymes, and rolling rhythm make this series installment another low-key natural read-aloud.
Cheery fun that will leave series fans “egg”-static. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781665936552
Page Count: 40
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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