Calming guidance for little ones grappling with sorrow.
Some holes are very hard to fill.
Loss is difficult to handle, even for adults. This book, a companion to the creators’ The Hare-Shaped Hole (2024), prepares children for the greatest one of all: death. Expressed in sometimes-clunky verse, the narrative follows a young Gerda and her wise, older friend Orlo. These two bears share rapturous times together. Inevitably, things change. Orlo noticeably slows down, and Gerda asks what’s wrong. Orlo explains he’s ill and that he will soon die. Gerda’s filled with anger—one of the stages of grief—and runs away. The digital illustrations do a commendable job of conveying Gerda’s feelings: In one scene, she flees, trailed by black straggly lines that later threaten to engulf her. But, as the text points out calmly, “You can’t outrun sorrow. You can’t outrun pain.” Gerda returns to Orlo and receives—what else?—a huge bear hug. He validates her feelings and assures her that, eventually, she’ll feel happiness again: Gerda will make many memories to fill the bear-shaped hole he’ll leave behind—and time now to create more. Gerda cries when Orlo passes; this, the book explains, is natural and OK. But she’s buoyed by their preparations and, later, eager to let new friendships into her heart. This is a reassuring message, while the colorful, cartoonish illustrations give the text an uplifting feel despite the difficult subject matter; the protagonists’ bond is lovely.
Calming guidance for little ones grappling with sorrow. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780711296619
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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