Proof that adapting to change is not only possible, but also genuinely enjoyable.
Is resistance to change impossible to overcome?
Jeffrey really likes blue. His hats, socks, pajamas, and undies are blue; his bedding’s blue; he loves blueberries; his eyes are blue; he even “speaks” blue. The text is presented as dialogue in two voices: That of the unseen narrator—likely Jeffrey’s parent—is rendered in a black font, while Jeffrey’s voice is set in a different, blue font. Jeffrey uses only blue in his Saturday painting class. The narrator points out that last time, Jeffrey’s teacher asked him to try a different color, and Jeffrey concedes that he used up all the blue last time, and a classmate couldn’t use any. This saddened her, which made empathetic Jeffrey’s tummy hurt. This week, he promises to select another color, a difficult task for this boy who’s set in his ways. A wise conversation with the unseen speaker (and lots of encouragement) helps Jeffrey find the courage to overcome his hesitation and reach an excellent compromise. This reassuring story will help children who, like Jeffrey, find comfort in structure and routine to understand that change is not only possible, but that overcoming a big hurdle can also be rewarding. The childlike illustrations are appealing and, like the book’s conversational approach, will help children sympathize with Jeffrey’s plight; readers will applaud his success. Jeffrey’s portrayed with light-tan skin.
Proof that adapting to change is not only possible, but also genuinely enjoyable. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781771475617
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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
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Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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