Creative storytelling and art quell fears and reassure young minds.
Two kid lit powerhouses unpack the potential for beauty in the word if.
A short-haired, pale-skinned child quivers beneath the covers. “If can be a dark room where worries swell and rise…” That terror swiftly makes way for curiosity, though. Imagination takes hold, and the kid dives through a quilt into an ocean of possibilities. We discover what would happen “if you were a fish” or “if you were a hummingbird zipping around a garden.” Relying on jewel tones, Forsythe shifts perspectives creatively; on a spread from readers’ point of view, we see a pair of small hands spread out beneath a snowy sky (“If you were a snowflake on a fingertip, what perfectly unique pattern would appear?”). Burgess’ intermittent rhymes become more consistent as the text progresses, though at times, he relies on soft rhymes (lair with fur, for example). As the young protagonist returns to the cozy bed seen earlier, we notice the quilt, embroidered with the animals and wild adventures our hero has dreamed. At times, Forsythe’s scenes evoke the feel of classic picture books, as with an image similar to Max’s ship in Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are (1963). Not all readers will understand the necessity of knowing how to shift from scary “ifs” to more fun ones, but everyone who picks this one up will enjoy the wild ride.
Creative storytelling and art quell fears and reassure young minds. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2026
ISBN: 9781464244049
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Stonefruit Studio/Sourcebooks
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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