Serve this sweet friendship story with a fresh cookie and a glass of milk.
Little Mousey bravely defends his best friend’s cookie from a host of hungry creatures.
Best friends Sam (a boy) and Mousey (a mouse) love playing together. One day, Sam convinces Mousey to fly a kite with him and then surprises his friend with a giant chocolate-chip cookie. When Sam has to run to the toilet, he tells Mousey, “Watch the cookie. I’ll be right back.” This is no easy feat for a little mouse, especially as two threatening pigeons start pecking at Sam’s cookie. Mousey dons the red napkin like a superhero cape, empowering him to save the day by shouting, “Stop! That’s Sam’s cookie!” Young readers will cheer on the little mouse as he tries to keep his friend’s cookie safe—little kids will understand “[t]hat’s just what best friends do.” Cote uses simple, straightforward text to keep the story rolling along at a brisk pace. Her cheerful illustrations are full of kid appeal, with expressive, cartoonish characters. There is a bit of inconsistency in the number of chocolate chips in the titular cookie: It gradually loses chocolate chips as it bumps through its travails, but suddenly the chips reappear just as the cat is going to eat Mousey.
Serve this sweet friendship story with a fresh cookie and a glass of milk. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-62914630-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
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)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
Relatable bedtime fare.
In this picture book from comedian Gatto, a little one embarks on a nighttime detective caper while also learning some calming techniques.
Tucked into bed, a light-skinned youngster with a mop of brown hair is almost ready to go to sleep, but something’s missing. Eyes wide, mouth agape, the child wonders, “Where’s Bearry?” The snuggly teddy is lost. Armed with a household map and magnifying glass and trailed by a pup sidekick, the tot searches high and low. “He’s not in the playroom / with my robot and blocks. / He’s not in the hamper / with all the stinky socks.” More searching comes up empty, and the increasingly distraught narrator worries, “Maybe he took a trip on the ferry? / Oh no! I’m freaking out! // WHERE’S BEARRY?!?!” Luckily, the youngster remembers to take a deep breath and count down from three. These actions help soothe the intrepid detective, and suddenly, all becomes clear. (Spoiler alert: Bearry is found.) The jaunty, singsong text trips up a bit here and there but propels the mystery forward. Flowers’ colorful art captures the wide range of emotions the youngster experiences: sadness, panic, serenity, and relief.
Relatable bedtime fare. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9780593750193
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
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