A sweet story with a rather confused narrator.
With crayons and paper, Dog creates a book to show appreciation for the home and best friend that are finally in its life.
In the illustrations, readers see Dog’s dangerous early life on the streets, the loneliness of the shelter, and the joy of finally having a friend and a home. There are several humorous moments in the story, as when Dog learns what “NOT to chew” and where “NOT to poo,” the latter complete with a hand-drawn map indicating locations both in and outside the house. However charming the story might be, though, the opening language poses a logical conundrum. Dog introduces itself and addresses readers in second person, saying: “and I made you this book.” From this beginning, the reasonable assumption is that the rest of the book will be directed to readers, as obviously the child who rescued Dog needs no introductions, but things change on the following page. Still in second person, Dog says: “I was lost before we met,” which is clearly Dog speaking to the child who found it at the shelter and took it home to become a part of their family. Readers will appreciate the sentiment but wonder just exactly how that “you” happened to shift. The illustrations vary the childlike style of Dog’s illustrations and a glossier look for life outside the book. The lucky child has brown skin and brown curly hair; Dog is a genial brown mutt.
A sweet story with a rather confused narrator. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-316-45886-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2020
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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