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A SONG FOR SNOW

Name: A SONG FOR SNOW
Author: Lita Judge
ISBN: 978-1-101-99451-1

From the Hoot and Peep series

by Lita Judge ; illustrated by Lita Judge ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 14, 2017

Festive and sprightly, this entry will likely leave listeners wondering what the pair will get up to when spring rolls...

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Hoot and Peep, the adorable owl siblings, are back, this time in a story that introduces little sister Peep to a new phenomenon: snow.

The season has changed, but the two birds’ natures remain the same. Hoot likes to seem wise, and Peep interprets the world around her through song. When Hoot predicts that snow is coming soon but won’t tell her what it will sound like (he doesn’t admit that he’s forgotten), Peep attempts to guess. Once again, Judge uses delightfully creative language. Peep asks, “Does snow drop, ploppety splop, like the rain’s song” or “swish swooooooo like the wind’s song,” or “scrrinkle scrattle like falling leaves?” As the birds converse, they swoop through the romantic Parisian night, where glowing lights, bright store windows, and decorated shrubbery suggest that the holiday season is near. When the snow finally arrives, typical winter shenanigans come along with the white stuff. As in Hoot and Peep (2016), the two birds are accompanied by a mouse who brandishes a carved staff. Big-eyed and smiling, all of the animals pictured have a cartoon-style charm. Judge’s text consists primarily of the siblings’ dialogue and is pleasingly playful. The luminous watercolors, enhanced with “a few digital finishing touches,” should have wide appeal.

Festive and sprightly, this entry will likely leave listeners wondering what the pair will get up to when spring rolls around. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-101-99451-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Dial Books

Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LITTLEST ELEPHANT
by Katherine Applegate ; illustrated by Lita Judge

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BEATRIX AND THE UNICORN
by Lita Judge ; illustrated by Lita Judge

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OLD BLUE IS MY HOME
by Lita Judge ; illustrated by Lita Judge

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IT'S MY BIRD-DAY!

From the Pigeon series

by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2026

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.

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Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!

Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 31, 2026

ISBN: 9781454999621

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MONSTER AND PUPPET SHOW!
by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci ; illustrated by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci

- BOOK REVIEW
THE PIGEON WON'T COUNT TO 10!
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

- BOOK REVIEW
WILL THE PIGEON GRADUATE?
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

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HEDGEHOGS DON'T WEAR UNDERWEAR

by Marissa Valdez ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2025

Sure to have little ones giggling.

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Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”

Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.

Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)