A warmhearted, colorfully illustrated romp for young cat lovers.
In Swissler’s (Deliverance from Evil, 1992) brief debut for children, with illustrations by Barac, a peripatetic cat named Spunky has a series of adventures.
Spunky, a pumpkin orange cat, has a comfortable home with humans who love and take care of him, but he’s always eager to explore the world outside his home—but “when Spunky took a walk, something always happened.” He befriends a large, gentle dog named Bella, and the two meet daily to companionably roam the neighborhood. Spunky enjoys visiting other homes (until he’s doused with a bucket of water by a homeowner), he likes to climb trees (until, thinking that he’s stuck, panicked children call the fire department), and he very much enjoys when the children he lives with treat him to ice cream on their way home from school. Yet for all these adventures, which may or may not take place in one day, Bella misses the excitement while waiting patiently for Spunky to meet him at his garage. In the book’s final pages, readers learn that as Spunky grows older, his “naps grew longer and playtime with the kids grew shorter,” though his home life remains constant, as does his relationship with Bella. The cat and dog continue to share sunsets together and relish each other’s company; the destinations aren’t important, but the short journeys are. Spunky’s legendary status isn’t quite explained, although he does manage to stir up trouble wherever he roams. Though competent and mildly appealing, the watercolor illustrations don’t feel fresh or particularly modern, and the text to art ratio could be improved with more illustrations, perhaps with spreads over two pages.
A warmhearted, colorfully illustrated romp for young cat lovers.Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1494796365
Page Count: 30
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
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Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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