A comforting approach to interpersonal conflict.
A hamster learns to express himself in Lockwood’s picture book about feelings and community.
Harrison the hamster’s day starts off badly when Billy, a goose, won’t make room for him on the school boat. Later, when Harrison asks to play, Billy calls him weird because he looks different (“Some of the muscles in my face don’t move,” Harrison explains). When Harrison tells his mother about Billy’s meanness, she assures him he’ll find other friends. With the support of his parents, an owl classmate, and the school counselor, Harrison learns to say “Ouch” when his feelings are hurt, and “Oops” when he makes a mistake. The next time Billy is mean, Harrison uses the code—he says, “Ouch,” and he’s surprised when Billy says, “Oops.” This shared language allows Harrison to give Billy another chance and open the door to a potential friendship. Lockwood shows how important it is for youngsters to have a shared way of expressing their feelings. The reliable support Harrison receives from adults is encouraging, reminding young readers that they can turn to their community if they need help. Most pages have spare, simple text; while some are wordier, most of the language is accessible, with some aspirational vocabulary that may make this book more appropriate for lap readers. Illustrator Erokhina’s animal characters are expressive, though Harrison’s facial structure does not always look consistent. The soft watercolor and ink images create a cozy forest setting that feels safe.
A comforting approach to interpersonal conflict.Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781964836041
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Acorn Cottage Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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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BOOK REVIEW
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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