An empathetic, child-friendly approach to conquering new-school jitters.
A child leads a new student around school.
“When you show a New Person around, it’s called giving them The Tour,” says a bespectacled child with black hair in two braids who’s doing the “really important job” of helping a recent arrival feel welcome. The protagonist starts on an appropriately high-energy note (“You have to sound really excited so they feel like it’s going to be an INCREDIBLE tour”). Our narrator knows what truly matters and begins with the most important place: the bathroom. Of course, the two stop by all the best spots, like the playground and the library. Our gentle, sensitive guide takes care to introduce the other child to friends while also intervening when the newcomer feels overwhelmed. Readers, too, will feel like they’re a part of things as the narrator shares funny asides, like how the bathroom is a great place to sing (“the echo is…AMAZING-ZING-ZING!”), and reminisces about the time a lost dog appeared on the playground. The appealing, colorful illustrations feature children with rounded, oversize heads, simple features, and expressive eyes; many of the places and objects will be familiar to school-age readers. This wonderfully multifaceted story will be meaningful both to kids starting at a new school and to teachers looking for a way to help welcome a new student. The two main characters are brown-skinned; their community is diverse.
An empathetic, child-friendly approach to conquering new-school jitters. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781536242980
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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