Barnyard high jinks that won’t be to everyone’s taste (especially turkeys).
Smart sheep? More like smartypants sheep.
In this story told almost entirely in dialogue, Little Baa Baa is bored, but then Quirky Turkey comes along. They comment on the nice day. Then Quirky Turkey comments on a pile of round, brown somethings next to Little Baa Baa. When the fowl inquires about them, Little Baa Baa says they are “smarty tablets.” Smarty tablets “make you smarter.” When Quirky Turkey asks about the price, Little Baa Baa says they are “free…but only to turkeys.” Inspecting the tablets closely, Quirky Turkey says they look like poo. And they smell like poo. “ ‘Are you sure they’re not just poo?’ / ‘Smarty tablets?’ / ‘Yes, smarty tablets.’ ‘Like these ones?’ / ‘Like those ones.’ / ‘That you eat?’ / ‘That you eat.’ / ‘That are free?’ / ‘That are free.’ / ‘…but only to turkeys.’ / ‘I’m a turkey!’ / ‘Then why don’t you help yourself?’ ” Quirky Turkey does and of course discovers they are poo and exclaims in disgust. Little Baa Baa crows: “See, you’re getting smarter already!” The Sommersets’ tale of sheep mischief (there’s a warning on the cover that the book contains such) is an amusing read-aloud, particularly if the dialogue is exploited to its full effect. Every storytimer will giggle at the mention of poo, though their adults may be revolted. The earth-toned, pencil illustrations bring Mo Willems’ Pigeon books to mind, but that’s where the similarities end.
Barnyard high jinks that won’t be to everyone’s taste (especially turkeys). (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 23, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-8066-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Oct. 13, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
© 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.
