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ELLIE

Name: ELLIE
Author: Mike Wu
ISBN: 978-1-4847-1239-9

From the Ellie series

by Mike Wu ; illustrated by Mike Wu ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 12, 2015

Luckily for Ellie and readers alike, it is the pictures that matter.

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When Walt the zookeeper announces the zoo will be closing for good, all the animals pitch in to save it. But shy Ellie the elephant cannot see how she can help. How can she help save the zoo?

Gerard the gorilla is clever and always has good ideas. Lucy the giraffe can clean up all the places no one else can reach. Even the penguins and monkeys are sprucing up the gray and ramshackle zoo. Everyone but Ellie has a job to do. With big, round eyes, sweet Ellie is clearly sad that she cannot help save her home. With a “brighten the corner where you are” attitude, Ellie picks up a paintbrush and gives it a try. Like Dorothy arriving in Oz, the world changes when the paint hits the walls. In his first picture book, Pixar animator Wu creates watercolor illustrations that are reminiscent of classics like Harry the Dirty Dog and Curious George. Round Gerard, tall Lucy, and impossibly thin Walt are distinct personalities beyond their physical attributes. There is a timelessness that draws attention to these gentle figures. The storyline, however, meanders like the little elephant as the book proceeds. Is the kernel of this book about contributing even if you are little? Or saving the zoo and becoming famous?

Luckily for Ellie and readers alike, it is the pictures that matter. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: May 12, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4847-1239-9

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
I AM ABLE TO SHINE
by Korey Watari ; illustrated by Mike Wu

- BOOK REVIEW
ELLIE MAKES A FRIEND
by Mike Wu ; illustrated by Mike Wu

- BOOK REVIEW
HENRI'S HATS
by Mike Wu ; illustrated by Mike Wu

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I AM A SPICY NUGGET

by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 8, 2026

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.

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An angry child attempts to calm down.

A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.

An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026

ISBN: 9798217042142

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
FOR YOUR SMILE
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- BOOK REVIEW
IT HAD TO BE YOU
by Loryn Brantz ; illustrated by Loryn Brantz

- SEEN & HEARD
Brooklyn Readies for 2026 Book Festival

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LOST AND FOUND

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.

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Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.

After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)