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MY NAME ISN'T OOF!

Name: MY NAME ISN'T OOF!
Author: Michael Galligan
ISBN: 978-1-63217-193-1

WARREN THE WARBLER TAKES FLIGHT

by Michael Galligan ; illustrated by Jeremiah Trammell ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 21, 2019

An entertaining offering for the nature shelf and preschool storytime.

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After an unsuccessful first attempt, a fledgling warbler learns to fly.

When a young Townsend’s warbler makes his first attempt at flight, he falls with an “OOF!” Happily, the talking animals who encounter him help him figure out the necessary technique. Galligan’s debut picture book offers an amusing story with an unstated but clear if-at-first-you-don’t-succeed lesson. His fable is based on actual fledgling behavior; the aftermatter offers sensible suggestions to would-be bird rescuers. The opening line promises Seussian verse: “At the edge of a nest, on the brink of a branch, / wobbled a warbler named Warren.” What follows is more prosaic. Still, there are grand action verbs: “A chipmunk bounced”; a “mouse skittered”; a “squirrel skipped”; a “rabbit hopped”; and a “skunk waddled.” Each time one animal tries to tell the next what has happened, there’s a collision. Lively and full of slapstick, this could inspire active imitation in preschool listeners. Cheerful oil paintings showing cartoonlike but perfectly identifiable animals add to the humor and good feeling. At one point, the skunk sympathetically gathers the bruised and frightened fledgling and a chipmunk in its arms. Backmatter also includes more about hatchlings, nestlings, and fledglings as well as this particular warbler species, native to the Pacific Northwest (shown in an actual photograph).

An entertaining offering for the nature shelf and preschool storytime. (Picture book. 2-6)

Pub Date: May 21, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-63217-193-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S HALLOWEEN

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2016

Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S VALENTINE
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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IZZY GIZMO AND THE INVENTION CONVENTION

From the Izzy Gizmo series

by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020

A disappointing follow-up.

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Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).

While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.

A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)