An enjoyably rhythmic slice of robin life for young naturalists and bird-watchers.
Punchy poems that beg to be read aloud follow a pair of robins through parenthood.
Dad sings a “Turf Tune” to defend his territory from other birds, while “Mama is an architect” fashioning the nest. Mama robin lays four eggs and uses her body heat to “incubake” them. (Hesterman alternates solid vocabulary—“lair,” “clutch,” “slumber,” “fledgling”—with delightful made-up words.) After they hatch, “Beaks wide open, eyes closed tight, / Wobble, bobble, heads upright. / Patchy bodies missing feathers / Huddle-cuddle close together.” The largest wins the worm tug of war, but all the babies are shown getting plump and growing their feathers. Dad chases off all other birds from his domain as the fledglings start to fly and find worms for themselves. And when these four fly off? Mama and Dad start all over again. Hesterman’s rhymes and rhythms are spot-on and will hold rapt both lap readers and storytime audiences, the onomatopoeia adding to the fun: “Pip, pip, an eggshell chip. / Peck, peck, a bright blue fleck. / Tweak, tweak, a peeking beak, // C-R-R-R-A-C-K-E-D… / All unpacked!” Ruzzier’s pen-and-ink–and watercolor illustrations show cartoon robins with anthropomorphic poses and facial expressions in a habitat that seems a combination of Dr. Seuss and the scenery from Road Runner.
An enjoyably rhythmic slice of robin life for young naturalists and bird-watchers. (Informational picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-399-54778-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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