Pearl the rabbit and Wagner the mouse continue to develop the friendship introduced in the first volume in this easy-reader series, Pearl and Wagner: Two Good Friends (2003). In this funny entry, three short chapters highlight the sort of secrets important to first graders, focusing on the fear of riding on a roller coaster. Pearl skillfully helps Wagner prepare for their roller coaster ride, conquering his fear of the unknown, but the reality of the enormous roller coaster gives Pearl her own set of worries. Her fears are counteracted by Wagner’s comforting presence as they ride the huge “Zoomer” side-by-side, along with their class of assorted animal friends. McMullan’s subtle humor infuses the clever plot, which includes a field trip to an ice-cream factory as well as a birthday party at the amusement park. Alley’s delightful watercolor-and-ink illustrations show a wide range of emotions, including the animals all screaming their heads off as the roller coaster cars careen downhill. Pearl and Wagner are a winsome pair of pals who will surely share more easy-reader adventures, perhaps next time over four seasons like another famous animal duo. (Easy reader. 5-7)
Pub Date: May 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-8037-2574-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
An unconventional but useful primer to help youngsters make sense of overwhelming feelings.
Emotions and flatulence are a lot more similar than you might think.
“Farts and feelings. Everyone has them!” But don’t worry—“just like your farts, your feelings will pass!” The silliness of the book’s subject matter makes it a clear attention-grabber, playing into children’s general interest in all things scatological. Though funny, many of the comparisons are also rather insightful: “You might wish they were private, but they don’t always come out that way.” “If you pay attention to your body, it might tell you what is coming.” The authors also offer useful advice: Talk to someone you trust if your farts or feelings hurt, refrain from holding them in for too long, and find a safe place to let them out. The softly rendered illustrations are tactfully done—no potty humor here. The images are mostly in shades of gray; Nakamura uses color sparingly and to great effect, playing up the pink on characters’ cheeks or for bright, squiggly lines signaling an outburst. Children of varying skin tones and ethnicities are represented. Some scenarios may require an adult to help explain the connection between emotions and farts.
An unconventional but useful primer to help youngsters make sense of overwhelming feelings. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: April 8, 2025
ISBN: 9781250903075
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This earnest Latino first-grader who overcomes obstacles and solves mysteries is a winning character
The creators of the Katie Woo series turn their focus to a peripheral character, first-grader Pedro—Katie’s friend and schoolmate.
Four short chapters—“Pedro Goes Buggy,” “Pedro’s Big Goal,” “Pedro’s Mystery Club,” and “Pedro For President”—highlight a Latino main character surrounded by a superbly diverse cast. At times unsure of himself, Pedro is extremely likable, for he wants to do his best and is a fair friend. He consistently comes out on top, even when his younger brother releases all the bugs he’s captured for a class assignment or when self-assured bully Roddy tries to unite opposition to Pedro’s female opponent (Katie Woo) in the race for first-grade class president. Using a third-person, past-tense narrative voice, Manushkin expands her repertoire by adding a hero comparable to EllRay Jakes. What is refreshing about the book is that for the most part, aside from Roddy’s gender-based bullying, the book overcomes boy-girl stereotypes: girls and boys play soccer, boys and girls run for president, girls and boys hunt for bugs, all setting a progressive standard for chapter books. With mixed-media illustrations featuring colorful bugs, soccer action, a mystery hunt, and a presidential campaign, Lyon’s attention to detail in color and facial expressions complements the story nicely.
This earnest Latino first-grader who overcomes obstacles and solves mysteries is a winning character . (Fiction. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5158-0112-2
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Picture Window Books
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
