Lovable.
Wolf vigorously denies that he’s cute. He’s wrong.
The eponymous wolf is a rotund, fanged, puglike, stray dog, and its first-person narration is printed in emphatic capital letters: “MOST WOLVES LIVE IN PACKS…BUT NOT ME. / I AM A LONE WOLF.” This last line is accompanied by pictures of two apron-clad people approaching the little dog. The aprons are emblazoned with a paw-print emblem, and the people cautiously crate the dog as it snaps and cries, “BARK BARK BARK.” The next spread shows the dog glowering in a pen within a cheery-looking animal shelter. The text reads, “I’M FINE ON MY OWN,” as happy, diverse families (notably including same-sex couples) smile while interacting with other dogs. Just below this textual rebuff arrives the girl poised to flout such sentiments. She has brown skin and voluminous, curly black hair, and she’s trailed by a woman who reads as her mother, with similar coloring, and a white-appearing, bespectacled man who reads as her dad. Unlike others, the girl is charmed by the dog, who continues to “BARK!” even at sympathetic workers. In a wordless spread, notable for its spare focus on them alone, the girl hugs the dog, then dashes away, leaving it bereft. But! She returns, leash in hand, and Wolf leaves with her family, now exclaiming, “I AM WOLF. / AND THIS IS MY PACK.” Working digitally, newcomer Miller creates her cartoon characters with emphatic swatches of matte color against generous white space.
Lovable. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 21, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-525-55329-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
Though it is light on specific information about how and why teeth are lost, most children will enjoy relating to Bear in...
Wilson and Chapman continue this popular series that began with Bear Snores On (2002).
Bear has invited his friends for lunch, when “something wiggled, and it wobbled…something moved when he chewed! It was… / Bear’s / loose / tooth!” In full-bleed spreads with a palette dominated by blues and greens, Chapman ably portrays Bear’s concern over this dental dilemma as well as the genuine empathy and determination of his many animal friends when they try to help remove the tooth. On several pages Bear looks right at readers as he reacts to his predicament, bringing them immediately into the story. After Hare, Mouse, Wren, Owl, Badger and others all fail at prying it loose, Bear “used his tongue and…gave a little nudge” until it falls out. A fairy comes as Bear sleeps and leaves “blueberries where Bear’s tooth had been!” Wilson keeps young readers engaged with rhyming text that keeps the gentle action flowing.
Though it is light on specific information about how and why teeth are lost, most children will enjoy relating to Bear in his latest oh-so-cozy adventure. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5855-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2011
Disney art paired with an affirming message makes for a pleasant diversion.
Popular Disney characters guide children toward independence and empowerment.
Childhood involves taking small steps into enchanted lands of self-discovery. These forays lead to challenges but wonders, too. Who better to help kids along this path than celebrated Disney and Pixar icons, idolized courtesy of cinema and TV screens? Children sharing this book with grown-ups will likely be more thrilled at simply spotting and identifying cartoon favorites on these pages than listening to, let alone contemplating, the lengthy, somewhat overblown text, which may go over their heads. After all, very young children won’t yet know what lies ahead—or have figured out what they’ve achieved or will accomplish—when they’re on the brink of exciting life journeys. Recognizing and naming favorites—characters from Frozen, Up, Coco, and Moana—will boost many children’s self-esteem, one of this book’s credos. Some classic characters might be less familiar to today’s younger set, but they’re still powerfully appealing. Many words, set in larger type throughout, are eye-catching. The inimitable Disney illustrative and design style remains captivating and transcends generations. Though many characters from earlier Disney works are White (Alice, Peter, Pinocchio), those from more recent films reflect racial and ethnic diversity, among them Moana, who is Polynesian, and Coco’s Miguel, who is Mexican. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Disney art paired with an affirming message makes for a pleasant diversion. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781368077750
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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