Kids will get a good laugh and adults will all-too-easily relate.
Every parent has been there. It’s spring vacation, the bunnysitter is sick, your partner has already left for work, but you still have to do your job and keep your little bunny safe. What is a mother to do?
Little Bunny is beyond excited at the opportunity to go to work with Mama and see what she does all day. A quick hop onto the train into the city, a stroll to the office past some street artists, and in they go! However, inside is not particularly exciting. There is not a lot for a little bunny to do, and, even more important, there are no snacks! There are few things as creative as a bored bunny, so Bunny goes on the hunt for some snacks only to stumble upon that beautiful creature: the vending machine! Can Bunny figure out how to reach the buttons? Will Bunny be able to get money for snacks? Richmond’s illustrations are bright, with expressive faces on her characters (whose simple bodies look as though they’ve been drawn in one long, easy pen stroke) and fun details. A delightful montage shows Bunny making art, wearing paperclip chains, and sticking Post-its all over while the text exclaims, “So THIS is what Mama does at work all day!” It really captures the delight of a kid who gets to have a day off and see the work side of their parent’s life.
Kids will get a good laugh and adults will all-too-easily relate. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-545-92590-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
An upbeat tale with a much-needed message: Imagination and positivity can save the day.
In this picture book from pop star Kevin Jonas and his wife, TV personality Danielle Jonas, a rainy day forces a child to find an alternate way to enjoy the beach.
Family beach day is one of Bella’s favorite things. She loves splashing in the waves, jumping from rock to rock, and building sand castles. Today, however, the weather isn’t cooperating, but Bella isn’t upset. “It will just have to stop raining. That’s all.” Disappointment sets in when her family tells her that beach day is off. Teary Bella rejects suggested indoor pastimes like board games, musical jam sessions, or reading stories together, and she retreats to her room. Dejected, Bella consoles herself with her stuffed bunny, Mr. Bonkers, until her parents and sister, Emma, knock on her door with a surprise: “BEDROOM BEACH DAY!” With just a few household items—a big lamp for the sun, a fan for the ocean breeze, a blue blanket for water, and pillows for rocks—and a large dose of imagination, Bella’s bedroom is transformed. A flexible attitude from all helps Bella—and readers—realize that things may not always go as planned…but sometimes they can be even better than we expected. Whimsical, cartoonish drawings and a dialogue-driven narrative turn a setback into an uplifting family experience. Bella and her family are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An upbeat tale with a much-needed message: Imagination and positivity can save the day. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9780593352106
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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