Irresistibly adorable illustrations and heartwarming humor.
A friendly dog with unique talents discovers the joy of being loved for just being herself in Barrett’s picture book.
Before winding up at the animal shelter, an unnamed dog has made friends with—and has essentially been raised by—the animals around her. The birds taught her to “fly” (with wings made of leaves); the fish, how to swim (with snorkeling gear); and the squirrels, how to climb (“Sort of”). But when the dog shows her new adoptive parents all her talents, it simply comes across as destructive—she knocks over potted plants, swims in the fish tank, and destroys dinner while attempting to climb the tablecloth. Instead of getting mad, her loving mom and dad introduce her to a dog park where she can show off her skills any time she wants. It’s then she realizes that it’s “not always easy being an odd dog. But it helps when you find where you belong.” McKeon’s bright watercolors bring the dog’s whimsical world to life. Many of the four-legged creatures are slightly anthropomorphized; a four-page spread shows dogs at play in the park in unexpected ways—including holding a parasol while relaxing in a pool. Barrett’s prose remains light and comical even while addressing profound themes of love, acceptance, and adoption. The interplay between the text and illustrations draws out the best in both, resulting in a well-rounded story that is also a delight for the eyes.
Irresistibly adorable illustrations and heartwarming humor.Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 1736710346
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character.
One of Boynton's signature characters celebrates Halloween.
It's Halloween time, and Pookie the pig is delighted. Mom helps the little porker pick out the perfect Halloween costume, a process that spans the entire board book. Using an abcb rhyme scheme, Boynton dresses Pookie in a series of cheerful costumes, including a dragon, a bunny, and even a caped superhero. Pookie eventually settles on the holiday classic, a ghost, by way of a bedsheet. Boynton sprinkles in amusing asides to her stanzas as Pookie offers costume commentary ("It's itchy"; "It's hot"; "I feel silly"). Little readers will enjoy the notion of transforming themselves with their own Halloween costumes while reading this book, and a few parents may get some ideas as well. Boynton's clean, sharp illustrations are as good as ever. This is Pookie's first holiday title, but readers will surely welcome more.
A pleasant holiday spent with a perfectly charming character. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51233-5
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
<p>Perfectly fine but nothing new.</p>
Caregiver-child love abounds in this rhyming board book full of animal puns.
One thing’s for certain, there’s plenty of sweet (and groanworthy) sentiments in this book. Rossner writes, “Giving HOGS and kisses / sends me to the moon!” and, “I’m such a lucky DUCK. / You really QUACK me up!” The book progresses entirely in this fashion, with a new animal pair and pun with each page turn. It reads well as a book for a caregiver to share with a lap-sitting child. On that mark, it succeeds in providing plenty of opportunities for giggles and snuggles. That said, at times the meter is forced, making the cadence a bit stilted, and the cuddles/bubbles rhyme is a dubious one. This is an issue for a book that will almost solely be read aloud. Gibson’s illustrations are very charming; the animals and insects with big eyes and expressive faces have high appeal. The warmth of the animals’ embraces and cuddles translates well from the page, inviting the same snuggles from readers. Decorated eggs appear on each page, and the bunny pair from the cover features prominently. Overall, the concept and message of the book are high interest and age-appropriate, but it doesn’t stand out from the very crowded shelf of “I love you, little one!” books similar to it.
<p>Perfectly fine but nothing new.</p> (Board book. 6 mos.-2)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2343-8
Page Count: 25
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
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