“Sniffle snuffle snork!” Giggle!
The medieval village of Handkerchief has a loud and drippy problem.
The constant sound of sneezing, coughing, and sniffling from Castle Gesundheit is keeping the villagers awake. No one can sleep; everyone has dark circles. They’ve tried everything: pillows over their ears, ears plugged with fingers, even books over their ears. Most Handkerchiefians are scared to approach the castle, but little Fiona’s had enough. No one will lower the drawbridge for her, so she needs to get creative (nothing works until she finds a cat door to wriggle through). Inside, she finds plenty of cats, but, following the sound of the ahhh-choos, only one human. Baron Von Sneeze has no one to take care of him—everyone’s left because of the noise. Fiona asks if he eats well and keeps warm and tries to get enough sleep…yes, yes, yes. She asks if he has seen a doctor. He’s seen the best (and a witch and a wizard!). Based on her investigation and the feline population, Fiona draws the obvious conclusion. But the cats can’t go! The Von Sneezes have kept cats for generations…so Fiona comes up with an innovative plan that works for everyone. Fearing’s silly, sniffling tale might have a simple throughline, but the comical cartoon illustrations of the stouthearted girl and bewigged baron layer the laughs in the details—many of which are just cats being cats. Both Fiona and the baron present White; among the citizenry of Handkerchief are a few people of color.
“Sniffle snuffle snork!” Giggle! (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1412-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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