A mischievous mouse plays a trick on a slumbering groundhog. Gus the groundhog is just nodding off against the trunk of a big shady tree when he gets an itchy, twitchy feeling. Readers see that a tiny white mouse is teasing Gus with a feather, but all Gus knows is that he needs a scratch right away. He tries a stick that turns out to be...a snake! He runs until he finds a bush, which turns out to be...a porcupine! The same misfortune befalls him when he lies down on a rugged log, which becomes a crocodile. All the while, the unseen mouse tags along, taunting Gus with his feather. Snake, porcupine and crocodile also give chase, and when they catch up...they all scratch his back! The animals in Olson's watercolor-and-digital illustrations are certifiably cute, and poor Gus's contortions as he seeks relief are undeniably funny—but the mouse's trick is just plain mean, and with no comeuppance for the mouse or even real resolution (Gus never learns what's been plaguing him so), readers will be left wondering where the justice is. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5714-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2010
There's not one decent insect leg to stand on here.
It's unfortunate that opposites attract in this dismal offering.
Little Speckled Bug meets his neighbor and immediately feels a connection to the female Bug Next Door, even though they express quite different interests. Little Speckled Bug wants to play boisterous games; the buggy diva's suggestions are stereotypically feminine in contrast. “What if we dressed up as flower fairies instead? We could put on long dresses and wear make up.” In an awkward sequence, the pair share hobbies, including collecting the appendages of their fellow insects (!), and a kiss. Little Speckled Bug's cheeks flush as he pines for his new love. The abrupt, didactic conclusion is both pretentious and perplexing: “But you see, in the blanket, just as in the rest of the world, there are lots of differences between girls and boys”—though other references have been made to the "blanket," its relationship to the book’s world is never explained. The mostly felted mixed-media spreads incorporate a hodgepodge of commonly found items, including sequins and postage stamps. Facial expressions are rigid, and the emotions portrayed inauthentic.
There's not one decent insect leg to stand on here. (Board book. 3-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7148-6356-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: May 29, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
Though very affectionate, this drift into slumber hops heavily
A bunny exults in the joys of bedtime one yawn at a time.
Both parents assist their little rabbit through the nightly ritual until their child's words turn to zzz's. Mom playfully chases her bunny into bed; Dad gets syrupy after the story: “Of all the millions and squillions of little bunnies around the world, how did I get so lucky to have the best one?” The bunny's reflections on his day's activities shift to dramatic, imaginative dreams; the youngster rides bees toward the moon and sails aboard a makeshift pirate ship on a sea made of raspberry jelly and teeming with goldfish. The padded cover encloses gentle spreads that idealize this loving family; the bunnies' fuzzy outlines keep the adorable level at an all-time high. The young narrator addresses his audience in a self-conscious, adult-sounding voice. “Remembering my best moments makes me feel good about being me!” As behavior modeling, this celebration excels; as a depiction of childhood, it leaves a little to be desired.
Though very affectionate, this drift into slumber hops heavily . (Board book. 3-4)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-29016-6
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
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