by Judy Cox & illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2012
Readers will look forward to taking this snow-day romp again and again.
In his fourth outing (Haunted House, Haunted Mouse, 2011, etc.), Mouse has a snowy adventure that could easily make the jump to being a wordless Pixar short.
Cox’s hapless Mouse doesn’t let anything get him down, making him a character sure to enjoy a wide fan base. Ebbeler’s comical acrylic illustrations are the stars here, depicting the undertakings of the accidentally swept-out Mouse as he explores and makes the most of the snowy landscape out of doors. Making the acquaintance of three southbound, camera-wearing, suitcase-toting, sombrero-wearing birds who watch and influence his activities, Mouse ice skates in a puddle, toboggans on a leaf and makes some rad snow sculptures of his new friends. Throughout, the cat just misses pouncing on the Stuart Little–esque Mouse, but not for lack of (repeated) trying. And when Mouse makes it back to the warmth of the house, he remembers “the quivery, shivery, hungry birds,” ending the tale with a gentle, feel-good message perfectly delivered. Ebbeler brings readers into the setting with everyday details—the ugly, crisscrossing power lines, boot treads and wonderfully textured fur and feathers, but it’s the humorous details that will stand out to readers—don’t miss the rooftop snow sculpture.
Readers will look forward to taking this snow-day romp again and again. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2408-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2012
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by Hoda Kotb ; illustrated by Chloe Dominique ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2024
Pleasant enough but not particularly original.
Uplifting messages of positivity from the Today show anchor.
Hope springs eternal, so the saying goes. Kotb agrees, here delivering to children the cheery news that hope lives inside all of them and that whatever they might wish for can be theirs. All they need is a sunny outlook, and the possibilities for happy outcomes are virtually endless. Children’s dreams can be in-the-moment ones—like purple ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry—or more far-ranging ones, such as growing tall enough to reach that high shelf easily or for hair that’s long enough to braid. It doesn’t matter, the author reassures young readers. Your aspirations will be realized, so don’t give up on them—just keep believing in them and, most of all, in yourself. Throughout, Kotb calls hope a rainbow, a feeling, a gift, and a wish. Hope is “new friends you’ll find— / friends who are loving and funny and kind.” Hope is “practicing your heart out, letter by letter.” The book’s overarching theme is upbeat, but its bouncy rhyming text is clumsy. The child-appealing illustrations are colorful and lively, though they have a generic look. The cast of wide-eyed characters is racially diverse; some have visible disabilities.
Pleasant enough but not particularly original. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780593624128
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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by Hoda Kotb ; illustrated by Suzie Mason
by Phil Rosenthal & Lily Rosenthal ; illustrated by Luke Flowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024
Amusing but misleading on the nutritional and behavioral fronts.
With one taste of despised mustard, a child pivots from rejecting new foods to seeking them.
Dad takes Lil to a food truck festival. Lil, who narrates the story, is nervous; this child’s list of acceptable foods is short (pizza, rice, grilled cheese, french fries, and vanilla ice cream). Dad loves varied tastes and repeatedly reminds Lil of his rule: “Just try it!” With a “YECCCH!” or an “EWWWWWW!” Lil refuses a bagel loaded with toppings, linguini with clams, Peking duck, pizza with spinach and garlic, and a pretzel covered with Lil’s most hated of foods: mustard. Frustrated, Lil accidentally knocks the pretzel onto Dad’s shirt. Lil apologizes, takes a lick of mustard…and instantly learns to appreciate every rejected offering. Lil then uses the title mantra to pressure Dad onto a nausea-inducing roller-coaster ride. Bright, cartoon-style illustrations emphasize the pair's upbeat mood. Food neophobia, or an aversion to eating anything novel, has complex psychosocial roots. But in this blithe little fable, the child’s resistance is completely overcome with a single accidental exposure, and the formerly picky eater immediately becomes a novelty seeker. The turnaround here is implausible; if this book creates any expectations of a sudden dramatic change in a child’s behavior, that would be a disservice. Both Dad and Lil are light-skinned.
Amusing but misleading on the nutritional and behavioral fronts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781665942638
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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