bookshelf

POE WON'T GO

Name: POE WON'T GO
Author: Kelly DiPucchio
ISBN: 978-1-4847-9059-5

by Kelly DiPucchio ; illustrated by Zachariah OHora ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 16, 2018

A cute escapade for the silliest readers.

bookshelf

A pink elephant named Poe sits in the middle of a town’s only road and won’t budge—until someone bothers to find out why he’s there.

The people of Prickly Valley aren’t happy that Poe is blocking their road. A traffic jam forms. People honk and yell at Poe. A traffic cop writes him a ticket. When that doesn’t work, they try making all sorts of noises to shoo him away, from trombones to tap dancing, then turn to begging and bribing. They bring mice, cranes, and magicians. The mayor forms committees. Balloons, fire hoses, and the force of all the people in town can’t get Poe to go. Finally, a brown-skinned girl named Marigold, who’s wearing a hijab that reflects her name, asks the mayor (a pink-skinned woman with white hair and pearls) if anyone has thought to ask Poe why he won’t go. Marigold, who is “fluent in both kitten and hedgehog,” says that “anyone can speak elephant if they just listen hard enough.” She climbs up and listens closely to Poe, who smiles for the first time, then she tells the crowd Poe is waiting for a friend. The mayor doesn’t believe her, but a news reporter thinks he may have seen Poe’s friend. OHora’s matte-finish acrylic-and-pencil illustrations are reminiscent of Madeline’s but with a pink and gold palette; Marigold is an endearing heroine. After the buildup and anticipation though, the story’s conclusion (Poe was sitting on his friend, a monkey named Moe) is more puzzling than satisfying.

A cute escapade for the silliest readers. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-4847-9059-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SECRET LIFE OF DOG TOYS
by Kelly DiPucchio ; illustrated by Jennifer Harney

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW TO BE A PROPER OGRE
by Kelly DiPucchio ; illustrated by Janie Bynum

- BOOK REVIEW
MOUSE & GIRAFFE
by Kelly DiPucchio ; illustrated by Jen Corace

bookshelf

I AM A SPICY NUGGET

by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 8, 2026

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.

bookshelf

An angry child attempts to calm down.

A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026

ISBN: 9798217042142

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
FOR YOUR SMILE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
IT HAD TO BE YOU
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- SEEN & HEARD
Brooklyn Readies for 2026 Book Festival

bookshelf

LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LOST AND FOUND

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.

bookshelf

Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.

After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)