Quirky and entertaining, with a kid- and parent-savvy message.
A little girl’s favorite word is “no” in Frayard’s children’s picture book.
Lila’s mom and dad say it’s time for breakfast; Lila “folded her arms, scrunched up her face, closed her eyes and said, ‘NO!’” Her parents, concerned that Lila won’t get the nutrition she needs, try coaxing her with “please” and “pretty please,” but Lila agrees only when she is rewarded with a treat. The trap that Lila’s mom and dad fall into in this humorous picture book will be recognizable to many a parent of young children: Lila quickly learns that saying “no” day after day to everything from taking a bath to getting dressed earns a motivating treat from her desperate caregivers. The author’s empathy for parents comes through when, as the days go by, they realize that Lila has no reason to say “yes” when “no” means treats. Mom and dad finally change tactics, accepting Lila’s “No!” with “Fine!” After going to school in her pajamas and going to bed “hungry and dirty and sticky and icky,” Lila no longer wants to say no. Veteran illustrator Bennett’s offbeat images of Lila as a round-faced little girl with shaggy red hair, pale skin, and big blue spectacles are set against full-page watercolor washes over subtle background details. The hand-drawn style of the text, with Lila’s “NO!” and other words in uppercase letters for emphasis, adds more visual fun.
Quirky and entertaining, with a kid- and parent-savvy message.Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9798989403431
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Susan Schadt Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 5, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
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