A tongue-in-cheek look at snakes that will make kids giggle.
A humorous picture book explores what snakes can and can’t do.
Snakes can’t wear shoes or gloves, of course, because they have no feet or hands—but can they wear a scarf? “Well,” writes Tills, “maybe a long, long one.” A mix of kid-savvy, funny-bone entertainment, and clearly expressed, simple facts about snake physiology and behavior, this story for children, from toddlers to early readers, will make adults smile, too. (Birds have two legs, the author observes, adding, “flamingos think they have one.”) In tandem with the humor, Tills informs her audience that even though snakes don’t have feet, they do have “tiny belly muscles” that allow them to coil and twist their bodies and slither “on the ground, up a tree, or in the water.” The author frames some of the story’s black-and-white images by GetYourBookIllustrations of a goofy, polka-dot snake and other cartoon-style animals on full-page backgrounds of saturated colors, many patterned with a reptilian scale motif. Other pictures are positioned on white pages and accented with colorful shapes. The book concludes with a gentle segue from Tills presenting comic and factual reasons that show snakes are “wonderful” to asking children to name something that makes them “wonderful,” too. The snake and his friends appear to be interested in the response. This work is part of the author’s Awesome Animals series, which includes Pigs Never Sweat! (2021).
A tongue-in-cheek look at snakes that will make kids giggle.Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73670-040-2
Page Count: 27
Publisher: FDI Publishing LLC
Review Posted Online: May 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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