A wonderfully silly, out-of-this-world adventure.
A quantum physicist takes her child on a ride through the universe, complete with an epic stop in the ice-cream-iverse.
Mom has come up with her greatest invention: “a device for seeing through space and time INTO OTHER DIMENSIONS!” She gazes up at her control panel, showing her child the different universes, including one where everything is made of lava, one where everything is ice, and even one devoted to cream. The child is eager to visit the ice cream universe, so off they go! The young narrator points out that Mom’s device is intended to allow users to see other universes, not visit them, but, as Mom responds, “What better way to see than in person?” The two blast off and zoom from universe to universe, grabbing bowls, visiting the spoon-iverse, and hitting up all of the toppings-iverses. The child wishes there were a world where all of these incredible things existed at once. Mom knows the perfect place and steers them home. The story is told in the first person by the child; readers will experience all the joy, wonder, and yumminess right alongside the protagonist. The illustrations are colorful and cluttered, a jumble of spoons, toppings, faces, and whimsy. Though at times the art is a bit busy, it suits this goofy, wildly entertaining space-themed story. Mom is brown-skinned and pink-haired, while the child has light-tan skin.
A wonderfully silly, out-of-this-world adventure. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781797221625
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series.
Another creature is on the loose.
The long-running series continues its successful formula with this Hallmark card of a book, which features bright illustrations and catchy rhymes. This time, the mythical creature the racially diverse children set out to catch is an absent mom who does it all (lists of descriptors include the words banker, caregiver, nurse, doctor, driver, chef, housekeeper, teacher, entertainer, playmate, laundry service, problem solver, handywoman, cleaner, and alarm clock) but doesn’t seem to have a job outside the home and is inexplicably a dinosaur. As the children prepare gifts and a meal for her, the text becomes an ode to the skills the Mamasaurus possesses (“Day or night she’s always there. / She meets every wish and need”) and values she instills (“Sometimes life can mean hard work,” “kindness matters,” and “what counts is doing your best”). This well-intentioned selection veers into cliche generously sprinkled with saccharine but manages to redeem itself with its appreciation for mothers and all that they may do. Endpapers include a “to” and “from” page framed in a heart, as well as a page where young gift givers or recipients can draw a picture of their Mamasaurus.
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781728274300
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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