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
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners.
What can you do when things go wrong?
Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children’s faces expressing different emotions.
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77164-637-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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