Hello, sun; hello to a glorious new exploration of nature’s delights for young readers.
Sunshine brings a fresh new beginning.
Rays of sparkling sunshine herald a new day. Resplendent colors light up the landscape, leaves uncurl, opening to catch the sunlight, and diurnal animals, birds, and insects awaken and come out to forage, frolic, and, when necessary, hide from predators. (Some creatures use the occasion to nap.) Greetings, daytime. So long, nighttime! But, for all its shimmering beauty, daytime is fleeting; before you know it, night shadows encroach. Soon, the sun will set, and it will be evening. The stars and moon will emerge, and just like that, it will be time to bid farewell to the sun and daylight. Told in charming, succinct verses that scan very well, this is a most worthy companion to Downing’s Hello, Moon (2021). Text and images meld wonderfully to bring a fresh perspective to what’s going on in nature during the daylight hours. The author/illustrator makes clear that each new day is radiant and full of possibilities. The text features numerous words beginning with S, perhaps paying homage to the word sun. The artwork, created with colored pencil, watercolor, and liquid acrylic, then combined digitally, is dazzling, with brilliant hues leaping from the pages. Children will especially appreciate—and learn from—the various animal activities depicted throughout.
Hello, sun; hello to a glorious new exploration of nature’s delights for young readers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 16, 2024
ISBN: 9780823452057
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Neal Porter/Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
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
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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