Just the thing to persuade even the most nervous of nellies to venture out of their comfort zones.
How far would you be willing to go to save your best friend?
Dot, a brown-and-white dog wearing a red knit cap, loves her best friend, Peep, a purple stuffed elephant. A true homebody, Dot doesn’t love going to the park with the other dogs but does enjoy a jaunt in the garden. Even if there’s a strange smell or something new, being with Peep reassures fretful Dot. When Peep is taken by another dog one day, Dot is forced to leave her fenced-in haven to save her pal. When she ventures into the park, she finds Peep—and a host of canines racing around. The other dogs think that Dot’s efforts to get Peep back are an invitation to play, and eventually Dot decides that the running and chasing are kind of fun. But what if Peep gets taken again one day? Dot hurries home; the next day, she refuses to even leave the house, so her new friends come to her, and she learns that all of them have their own versions of comfort objects, which join Peep on the back endpapers. The illustrations, a mix of full-bleed spreads and vignettes, capture a dog’s perspective perfectly. Though the situation that Dot faces is an overwhelming one—and one that will likely resonate with children also worried about making new friends—soft artwork depicting smiling doggy faces brimming with emotion will convince little ones that taking a risk is well worth it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Just the thing to persuade even the most nervous of nellies to venture out of their comfort zones. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72846-771-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Andersen Press USA
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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