A gentle tale of friendship and gratitude.
Sometimes the best cures for the blues are the unexpected ones.
In the latest story in the Little Hedgehog and Friends series, Fox is grumpy. He has a cold, a stubbed paw, and no hot chocolate. Trying to cheer him up, Hedgehog, who’s out looking for mistletoe, suggests going for a walk through the snowy woods and thinking about all the things Fox is thankful for. It doesn’t work, though. When Rabbit and the mice bring hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies, Fox begins to feel better until he sneezes and drops the refreshments, and snow from a nearby tree falls onto his back. Fox leaves in a huff, and his friends worry about him getting home safely in the snow and dark. Conveniently, Fox’s borrowed hat starts unraveling, and the yarn leaves a trail for Hedgehog to follow. After Hedgehog finds Fox and they start toward Fox’s home, Hedgehog trips and tumbles down a steep hill. When Fox rescues Hedgehog, he says, “My bad mood stopped me from seeing how lucky I am to have a friend like you!” Soon all the friends are together and enjoying a sleepover at Fox’s. Though some may find this one a little on the sweet side, it’s a cozy tale nevertheless. Illustrations in a soft palette enhance the story and create a delightful wintry woodland world for Fox and his friends. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gentle tale of friendship and gratitude. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68010-286-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...
Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.
Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0237-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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