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UTTERLY OTTERLY NIGHT

A note for parents: Duct tape works well to repair holes torn in snow pants by otter sliding; after reading this book you...

Proving to both his family and himself that he is finally big enough, Little Otter faces down danger and saves his family in this satisfying follow-up to Casanova’s Utterly Otterly Day (2008).

On a moonlit night in snowy winter, the otter family pops out from its holt to play in an “utterly, otterly way.” This consists of belly slides down slippery hills, and the delight on their faces makes it likely that readers will itch to imitate them. But the members of the otter family are not the only creatures about. Papa warns of a hunting owl, and another time, Little Otter barely halts one of his wild rides in time to avoid a collision with huge Moose. But it is at the top of the steepest hill yet that Little Otter gets his own first sense of danger: Five wolves are on the prowl. Scared though he is, Little Otter knows what he must do, and he bravely sets about distracting the wolves, warning his family and narrowly evading teeth and claws. Hoyt’s pen-and-ink illustrations wonderfully convey the playfulness and innocence of Little Otter, his every emotion worn on his sleeve. Casanova's onomatopoeic phrases punctuate the action with infectious glee: "Up and down, the otters play. / They glide and slide, / in a whooshily, shooshily way."   

A note for parents: Duct tape works well to repair holes torn in snow pants by otter sliding; after reading this book you may need a couple rolls. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-1-4169-7562-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011

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DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE SLEIGH!

A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.

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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

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024

ISBN: 9780593702901

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024

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