Young children acquainted with the pleasure of conspiring to annoy an older child and those who've suffered the indignity of...
Here's Little Puffin, minding his own business and enjoying a walk when a trio of impish gull chicks turn up and start mimicking his every move.
How can he stop Small Gull, Tiny Gull and Baby Gull from annoying him? He tries to scare them and outrun them before he finally tries to turn the tables on them by sitting very still. The little ones eventually fidget from boredom and walk away. But when Little Puffin moves on, it starts all over again. The creator of the Baby Owl books (I'm Not Scared!, 2007, etc.), captures both the playful spirit and the exasperation of this familiar game with clean, bold lines and clear colors against a white background. The game begins on the cover with "Don't Copy Me!" in large, fire-engine–red letters echoed by soft shading. There's a stern, no-nonsense look on Little Puffin's face as he towers over the little gulls, whose eager expressions show just how unperturbed they are. There's plenty of humor in the pacing of the predictable text, uncluttered pages and Allen's appealingly fluffy, wide-eyed birds.
Young children acquainted with the pleasure of conspiring to annoy an older child and those who've suffered the indignity of being made fun of will enjoy seeing just who outsmarts whom. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-907967-20-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boxer Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist.
Can anyone be perfect?
Beatrice Bottomwell always does everything right. “Most people in town didn’t even know Beatrice’s name. They just called her ‘The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes,’ because for as long as anyone could remember, she never did.” One Thursday though, she almost does something wrong (she drops some eggs while cooking at school but catches them just in time). Straightforward text describes Beatrice’s predicament as, unnerved, she ponders her almost-error and begins to worry. What if she really does do something wrong? Brightly colored watercolors and gentle humor combine to portray Beatrice’s eventful day, her growing fear and her sprightly pet hamster. During a school talent show, Beatrice finally makes a real mistake—in front of everyone. How will she cope? Learning how to relax enough to laugh and simply be herself just might do the trick. While the plot is predictable and the solution to the problem fairly pat, this is a well-intentioned story, full of acceptance and goodwill. It will be especially useful in a therapeutic setting; it may be a real comfort to a child who is afraid of making mistakes, while children dealing with similar issues will also find reassurance here.
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4022-5544-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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