A charming addition to the charismatic pup’s ranch adventures.
A young dog discovers the impact of deforestation on the local wildlife in this second installment of a series.
One morning, when Sagebrush wakes to do her chores, she becomes enchanted by the spring air and wanders into the woods, past the white ranch owner who cares for her. The corgi treks farther than she should and encounters the Shuns, tiny woodland folks who look after the forest. The Shuns don’t trust humans, who cut down their trees. Sagebrush can’t understand how her mistress could be so good and other people so bad. But soon she sees the damage the loggers have done to the forest. The next day, when they return, Sagebrush dashes up the mountain to rescue the Shuns. In this text-heavy picture book, Franks (Corky Tails: Tales of a Tailless Dog Named Sagebrush, 2016) presents the environmental angle fairly, mentioning that humans use wood for things they need—paper, homes, furniture. But she also shows characters feeling helpless at the thought of stopping industry. Budding ecologists are likely to press this issue in conversations with parents or teachers: why can’t something be done to save the forest? Why wouldn’t humans want to replant the trees? Rodriguez (A Kingdom’s Story, 2017, etc.) creates superb facial expressions for Sagebrush in the delightful cartoon illustrations; the work could use even more images. Her depiction of the two Shuns reveals just the type of heroes any kid would like to find in the backyard.
A charming addition to the charismatic pup’s ranch adventures.Pub Date: June 6, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5434-2799-8
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Xlibris
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts.
Ohtani, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, teams up with Blank and Liem to tell the story of how his dog, Decoy, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
It’s a big day! Decoy leaps “off the bed. Then back onto the bed. Then off the bed.” The enthusiastic pup heads outside to practice with his lucky baseball but is quickly distracted by squirrels (“we’ll play later!”), airplanes (“flyin’ high!”), and flowers (“smell ya soon!”). Dog and pitcher then head to the ballpark. In the locker room, Decoy high-paws Shohei’s teammates. It’s nearly time! But as Shohei prepares to warm up, Decoy realizes that he’s forgotten something important: his lucky ball. Without it, there will be “no championships, no parades, and no hot dogs!” Back home he goes, returning just in time. With Shohei at the plate, Decoy runs from the mound to his owner, rolling the ball into Shohei’s mitt for a “Striiiiike!” Related from a dog’s point of view, Ohtani and Blank’s energetic text lends the tale a sense of urgency and suspense. Liem’s illustrations capture the excitement of the first day of baseball season and the joys of locker room camaraderie, as well as Shohei and Decoy’s mutual affection—even when the ball is drenched in slobber, Shohei’s love for his pet shines through, and clearly, Decoy is focused when it matters.
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063460775
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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