Sometimes the best part of travel is telling the tale afterward.
In an interesting take on “The City Mouse and the Country Mouse,” Swede Thore tells the tale of one scribbly spot that vacates its host, a spotted and sedentary feline, for an adventure.
When Sammy wakes up with flu symptoms, she realizes that something is askew. One of her 500 spots is missing. She feels miserable, the kind of misery that can only be rectified by a cup of hot cocoa. Thore’s text in the uncredited translation is wryly funny, deftly unreeling the plot and defining its characters. Sammy chases it, but “that rebel spot was way too fast,” but then she realizes, “if that spot’s unhappy, why pursue it?” Each double-page spread bursts with details that will captivate young readers. Sammy’s knotted tail reflects how lifeless she feels while suffering from the flu. The tub’s claw feet look just like Sammy’s. Is that the missing spot hiding behind the toilet’s pedestal? Hearts appear on the curtains on the closing pages, as the two protagonists reunite. A midbook gatefold opens from a view of Sammy contentedly at home to show the adventures of the spot in 12 humorous panels—the spot finds itself on a dog, in a scoop of ice cream, winning a game of marbles, and even nestled up next to an éclair. Both spot and Sammy learn new things about themselves while the spot is AWOL and find out that, in the end, there really is no place like home.
Sometimes the best part of travel is telling the tale afterward. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3677-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
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
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones.
What’s better than a cheerleading chicken?
Are you ever blue, unsure, tired, or overworked? Do you ever feel lost or overwhelmed? This uplifting book, expressed in delightful, jaunty verse, explains how to lift your spirits pronto: What you need is a booster chicken telling you’re doing great even when you’re not so confident, as when you’re learning or practicing a new skill, for instance. Your feathered champion will be right there, encouraging you all the way, with a loud “WOO HOO!” that’ll keep you going and remove any doubt you’re super terrific. But what if your cheerful chick errs and doesn’t do what it set out to do? Don’t worry—your cheery chicken just needs a reminder that everyone makes mistakes. That alone is a pep talk, enhanced by the wisdom that making mistakes allows everyone to learn and demonstrate they did their best. So forgive yourself, chickens! But the best thing is…instead of relying on someone else—like a chicken—to strengthen your ego, say a generous daily “WOO HOO!” to yourself. This riotous book hits all the right notes and does so succinctly and hilariously. The energetic, comical illustrations, in Boynton’s signature style, will elicit giggles and go far to make the book’s important point. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-316-48679-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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