A silly story infused with plenty of animal facts—and more than a few chuckles.
Following I Am Picky (2022) and I Am Friendly (2024), another tale of a most unself-aware creature.
A sloth tries to persuade readers that it isn’t lazy, but rather “turbocharged,” a “lightning-quick beast.” “Watch as I zoom to my favorite branch.” The sloth’s sleepy saucer eyes hilariously belie that assertion. And as our protagonist hangs from its favorite branch, a time-lapse montage depicts life passing the slow-moving sloth by: A pair of parrots incubate eggs, which eventually hatch; a big cat watches over her own cubs. Tracy has a sly way of folding in facts: “Eat my fuzz,” says the sloth as it moves through the trees. “(Just kidding. Sloths are herbivores. We don’t eat fuzz.)” Lounging in a bed of flowers, the sloth shares another talent: Its ability to rotate its head 270 degrees, which helps it monitor dangerous situations. But zipping around the forest is tiring, and the sloth is definitely good at napping, “anytime, anyplace.” More fun facts follow (sloths poop only once per week), but here they interrupt the flow of the story, which picks up again when the sloth takes a dip in the water (and actually proves relatively quick) and jokes about racing a turtle but opts for a nap instead. Kraan’s animals are cartoonish with big, engaging eyes. Using a combination of woodcut prints, gouache paint, and digital collage, her illustrations play with perspective, encouraging readers to turn the book around and upside down.
A silly story infused with plenty of animal facts—and more than a few chuckles. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 19, 2026
ISBN: 9780374391171
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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