by Jonathan Fenske ; illustrated by Jonathan Fenske ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 30, 2019
So silly it’s unlikely to make new readers crabby.
Four linked vignettes featuring characters introduced in Fenske’s picture books (Plankton Is Pushy, 2017, etc.) use the same words over and over while providing context for vocabulary new to beginning readers.
Crabby lives up to their name—they're crabby. The sun’s in their eyes, salt’s in their teeth, sand’s in their shell—just another day at the beach. They're looking for excitement but are too self-absorbed to understand “boring Barnacle’s” warning, “Wave!” In the second chapter, “pushy Plankton” tries to get Crabby to see the bright side of life at the beach, but Crabby insists, “Crabs are crabby. It is what we do.” In Chapter 3, “The Joke,” Crabby refuses to be amused. Finally, in Chapter 4, Plankton almost gets Crabby to smile by baking them a five-layer chocolate cake. Even then, though, Crabby says, “I prefer lemon” and observes, “It is a little dry.” Crabby’s persistent grumpiness and the patient plankton’s exasperation are shown clearly in their expressive eyes and mouths as well as their dialogue. Pages broken into colorful panels and color-coded speech bubbles help beginning readers focus on the words. Flat, two-dimensional cartoon drawings and a smaller-than-usual trim are designed to help new readers make the transition to chapter books with denser text and fewer pictures. Instructions on drawing Crabby and a story prompt close the book.
So silly it’s unlikely to make new readers crabby. (Early reader. 4-6)Pub Date: April 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-28151-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Acorn/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Chris Chatterton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 6, 2022
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Nadia Shireen
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by John Segal and illustrated by John Segal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2011
Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25425-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
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