Willy’s a winner.
Really splendid artwork—something Caldecott Medalist Simont has been noted for in the past 60 years—sets this book skipping like a stone on water.
The tale revolves around a family and the dog they meet during a picnic in the park. He’s a scruffy item, but game to share the family’s lunch and join in the festivities. “They named him Willy.” When it’s time for them to go, the family has to leave the mutt: “ ‘He must belong to somebody,’ explained the mother, ‘and they would miss him.’ ” Simont’s illustration is the car, headlights on, blurry image of parents in the front window, and two small arms reaching out the passenger side. On the opposite page sits the dog, rendered small and alone. All that next week their thoughts drift to Willy—double pages show each family member so deep in thought that the ball is dropped, the pot is boiling over, the coffee is pouring over the edge of the cup. When they return to the park the following weekend, they are delighted to see him again. Only this time Willy motors by them at warp speed, with the dog warden in hot pursuit. Once he is netted, the officer tells the children that Willy is a stray. “He has no collar. He has no leash,” says the warden. The boy volunteers his belt as a collar, the girl offers her hair ribbon as a leash, and a pet is born. The language here is simple, sweet, and expressive, as is the sure-handed art. Varying between double-paged full-bleeds to vignettes placed on white backgrounds, the illustrations are pure Simont, from the perfectly captured family scenes to Willy streaking by and then cowering under the net. The sentiments are equally direct and elegant, with generosity and affection mingling like waters in a bath.
Willy’s a winner. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2001
ISBN: 0-06-028933-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2000
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
