A creature feature worthy of every child’s nightly routine.
An ode to bedtime anxieties and a love letter to the rituals that soothe them.
Having drunk a cup of water, listened to a story, and sung a song, a pale-skinned youngster is snuggled up and ready to snooze when…wait a moment…has anyone checked on the monster under the bed? Unfortunately, the child’s supernatural roommate is wide awake, but our plucky, problem-solving protagonist has a plan. Taking the creature by the tentacle, the child repeats the bedtime routine with the monster in tow—but, self-assured to a fault and with a flair for the dramatic, the empathetic tot inadvertently wreaks havoc at every turn. By the time the monster, an octopodan shadow more hapless than spooky, carries the kid to bed once more, they’ve both left behind a series of comedically chaotic surprises for the parents who’ll rouse them come morning. A departure from more classically monstrous bedtime fare, this narrative removes fear from the equation entirely, offering an innovative, collaborative spin on the relationship between child and monster. Likely to become a part of readers’ own bedtime routines, this nighttime tale feels like a recipe for a sedating witch’s brew. A complement to her comforting text, Wilson’s illustrative use of negative space is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak’s work—one of many homages to another iconic bedtime tale—and her palette and art style evoke a vintage, Sunday-paper comic. The effect is thoroughly charming.
A creature feature worthy of every child’s nightly routine. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2025
ISBN: 9780063335615
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.
A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-30311-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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