Ideal prep for would-be pet owners.
Involved and informed parents help Sam and Emma think about what makes the perfect pet.
As Mom and Dad discuss the considerable responsibilities of pet ownership, the family visits a variety of locations: a pet shop, where a rabbit seems perfect; a dog shelter; the home of a friend who owns a bevy of cats and kittens; a zoo, where parrots and fish appeal; and a reptile store with Sam’s favorite, iguanas. Hannah explains each animal’s specific needs: Dogs require toys, regular walks, and plenty of exercise; reptiles require controlled temperatures and lots of soil in their enclosures. On the final spread, the parents make a sensible plan: Sam and Emma will walk the neighbor’s dog, take care of the class turtle, and volunteer at the local shelter; after they demonstrate that they are, indeed, “ready for a pet,” the family will decide what to adopt. Meanwhile the children dream of a jumble of all sorts of animals, including spiders and insects. Hannah’s text is clearly written and informative, though a bit wordy. Although the series is billed as “Read and Spot,” the small sans-serif type means that beginning readers are unlikely to find the text accessible. Still, the book’s notably realistic view of pet ownership—with an emphasis on unglamorous obligations and duties—is noteworthy, and youngsters will enjoy poring over Selbert’s cute, colorful cartoon illustrations, which feature die-cut holes.
Ideal prep for would-be pet owners. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
ISBN: 9788000076188
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Albatros Media
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers.
The team of Costain and Lovšin (Daddies are Awesome, 2016) gives moms their due.
Rhyming verses tell of all the ways moms are amazing: “Mommies are magic. / They kiss away troubles… // …find gold in the sunlight / and rainbows in bubbles.” Moms are joyful—the best playmates. They are also fearless and will protect and soothe if you are scared. Clever moms know just what to do when you’re sad, sporty moms run and leap and climb, while tender moms cuddle. “My mommy’s so special. / I tell her each day… // … just how much I love her / in every way!” Whereas dads were illustrated with playful pups and grown-up dogs in the previous book, moms are shown as cats with their kittens in myriad colors, sizes, and breeds. Lovšin’s cats look as though they are smiling at each other in their fun, though several spreads are distractingly cut in half by the gutter. However delightful the presentation—the verse rolls fairly smoothly, and the cats are pretty cute—the overall effect is akin to a cream puff’s: very sweet and insubstantial.
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62779-651-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children.
Social-equity themes are presented to children in ABC format.
Terms related to intersectional inequality, such as “class,” “gender,” “privilege,” “oppression,” “race,” and “sex,” as well as other topics important to social justice such as “feminism,” “human being,” “immigration,” “justice,” “kindness,” “multicultural,” “transgender,” “understanding,” and “value” are named and explained. There are 26 in all, one for each letter of the alphabet. Colorful two-page spreads with kid-friendly illustrations present each term. First the term is described: “Belief is when you are confident something exists even if you can’t see it. Lots of different beliefs fill the world, and no single belief is right for everyone.” On the facing page it concludes: “B is for BELIEF / Everyone has different beliefs.” It is hard to see who the intended audience for this little board book is. Babies and toddlers are busy learning the names for their body parts, familiar objects around them, and perhaps some basic feelings like happy, hungry, and sad; slightly older preschoolers will probably be bewildered by explanations such as: “A value is an expression of how to live a belief. A value can serve as a guide for how you behave around other human beings. / V is for VALUE / Live your beliefs out loud.”
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children. (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78603-742-8
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
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