This story brings a sassy sense of humor and a positive underlying message.
A simple Lego guy bemoans his lack of style until he discovers his hidden potential for greatness.
Everyone wants to play with the new Lego characters. They have flashy clothes and hair. Those fun, new guys ride the fastest bikes and the “pranciest” ponies. When a “no fun” Minifigure with plain hair and clothes compares himself to others, he feels like vanilla next to a “super-duper chunky happy birthday blast” ice cream. Unlike the new guys, he can’t laugh, shout, or sing. He would cry if he could, but his face stays stuck in a smile. However, a crew of unexpected new friends in animal costumes help him realize the advantage of “keeping it simple.” With imagination, he can transform into anyone and take on any challenge. Written in snarky, first-person narration with speech bubbles for dialogue, this story shares a message about embracing personal strengths. Fenske’s (Plankton Is Pushy, 2017, etc.) sharp sense of humor increases the appeal beyond the popularity of the Lego brand. The juxtaposition of the old brick designs and the newer, more-realistic ones creates an amusing contrast. Bright illustrations full of animated expressions and movement complement the text’s playful tone. Apart from a couple characters (a green monster and a gray, sad clown), the rest of them are Lego yellow.
This story brings a sassy sense of humor and a positive underlying message. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-26097-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A valuable addition to the social-emotional–learning bookshelf.
A girl learns to confront her grief, loneliness, and frustration with a trip to the beach.
In this fourth installment of her picture-book series on navigating emotions, Chandra Ghosh Ippen brings readers lonely child Ellie. The girl lives with Miss K., but what she wants is to see her mother again. Unfortunately, her mom doesn’t write or call, leaving Ellie confused about how her parent feels and whether she cares about her. Ellie tends to act out despite Miss K.’s best efforts. One day, Miss K. announces she wishes to “go to the beach and yell into the waves” but that she needs Ellie to help her. They venture out and release their frustrations into the water before meeting up with Ellie’s Uncle Finn to talk about her mom. While short, this story manages to pack healthy coping techniques, discussions of grief, and an acknowledgment of how complicated emotions can be in a kid-friendly package. Finn uses an easy-to-understand metaphor involving waves to explain what Ellie’s mom is going through in such a way that it can be applied to numerous situations that readers can relate to—though Erich Ippen Jr.’s illustrations hint that she may be struggling with a form of mental illness. Throughout the tale, the images are simple watercolor pictures that effectively use a palette that starts out dark, then switches to brighter colors as Ellie’s mood improves. All of the characters are depicted with brown skin.
A valuable addition to the social-emotional–learning bookshelf. (Picture book for ages 3-5.)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1950168101
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Piplo Productions
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Another wry romp in the author/illustrator’s alternate fairyland, where justice is served to recalcitrant half-pints.
Waeland (The Three Bears and Goldilocks, 2022) fractures a second familiar fairy tale in this graphically crisp, wordless project.
As the inverted title telegraphs, twists await. A gray-haired witch in owlish red spectacles bakes sweets, a black cat nearby. After a woodcutter and two children reach the forest, Gretel and Hansel wander after a scuttling fox; a robin swiftly consumes Gretel’s scattered baguette crumbs. Discovering the witch’s delectably edible cottage, the pair—eyes popping like candy pinwheels—commence gobbling it, licking lollipops and chomping slabs of cookie siding. The witch invites them inside, and their boots dry beside the woodstove’s crackling fire. The rowdy duo devour a cherry-topped Black Forest cake, candies, fruit, and more—leaving a messy wake that includes an overturned cauldron and cat dish. The witch exacts revenge: A lightning bolt from a star-tipped wand reaches the fleeing Hansel, who is turned into a frog. The woodcutter searches for and tearfully reunites with the children—though the trio seem relatively unbothered by Hansel’s species switch. Meanwhile, the witch and the sleek cat enjoy refreshments, including a cookie with a sly resemblance to Gretel. Flat color and simple, bold shapes yield easily decoded visuals in this quirky, humorous tale. The woodcutter and children have brown skin; Hansel and the woodcutter sport black hair, while Gretel’s tresses match the witch’s flax-colored skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Another wry romp in the author/illustrator’s alternate fairyland, where justice is served to recalcitrant half-pints. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9781459833821
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
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