A fine addition to the cock-a-doodle canon. (Picture book. 3-7)
“Cock-a-doodle-doo” is so last century, man!
Mel the rooster is just not feeling “cock-a-doodle-doo.” He wakes the farmer (a concerned boy) with a “Scat-scat-doo-wop-bop-biddly-doo-wop-doowop-bop-bop-bop!” Even after the farmer tells him the sun won’t rise without a cock-a-doodle-doo, Mel’s ready for something new. He tries another scat after the cow expresses her concern…but the sun doesn’t rise. So Mel pulls out his trumpet for a cool jive blast. Nothin’. The rest of the barnyard is awake, and they are all concerned that morning might never come. Mel tries spinnin’ and scratchin’ beats with a turntable. Still no sun, but Mel will not go back to the traditional rooster crow. Finally, the horse has an idea that involves the cow and a “Cow-ca-doo-dle-moooooooo!” Hello sun! Black’s rockin’ rooster will have toddlers laughing and joining in on second reads if the book’s read just right. The whole tale is told only through dialogue, and each character’s words appear in a different color. There are no dialogue bubbles to indicate who’s speaking, so readers need to be nimble in switching places. Myers’ oils present a mix of double-page spreads and sequential panels (separated by fence posts rather than negative space) paced beautifully for maximum effect. A sly, wry, and funny tale that’s as much fun to perform as it is to hear.
A fine addition to the cock-a-doodle canon. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4424-9510-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015
Magnifique! An ideal choice to share before a child’s first sleepover.
Methinks the gastropod doth protest too much.
Grab your pjs, toothbrush, and sleeping bag, because everyone’s favorite snail is inviting you to “a soirée pyjama”! Now starring in a fifth adventure, Escargot is quite the self-described expert on everything sleepover. There are movies to watch and snacks to eat. There’s also one activity that is forbidden: falling asleep! Luckily, Escargot has a foolproof plan to postpone sleep. Anytime readers see the snail starting to drift off, they are to yell, “WAKE UP, ESCARGOT!” As time passes, Escargot begins to fade, but our tiny hero initially refuses to admit defeat: “Probably you were sleeping and you dreamed that Escargot was asleep.” But finally, Escargot capitulates to exhaustion—and perhaps readers will, too, lulled by the sleepy snail’s soothing words: “Let us close our eyes and maybe also our mouths….But first, I must give you a kiss good night. Mwah!” With oversize, Disneyesque eyes and ineffable charm, Escargot is cuteness incarnate, while Slater’s peppy narration is a delight. Consider reading this book at storytime in a French accent. The book includes both familiar French terms and those likely to be new (like doudou for “stuffie”).
Magnifique! An ideal choice to share before a child’s first sleepover. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 14, 2026
ISBN: 9780374392291
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
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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