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TURTLE IN A TREE

Name: TURTLE IN A TREE
Author: Neesha Hudson
ISBN: 978-0-593-32331-1

by Neesha Hudson ; illustrated by Neesha Hudson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 11, 2021

Worth a look—and a head scratch or two.

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Two dogs speculate about the unseen creature they hear in a tree—which is right?

A greyhound in a yellow-and-orange sweater hears a “rustle rustle” and stops to investigate. Noticing the larger dog staring at a tree, a French bulldog in a purple necktie asks, “What do you see?” The greyhound responds, matter-of-factly, “A turtle in a tree.” Baffled, the bulldog explains that such a thing would be “impossible” and then opines, “It must be a squirrel.” The two continue to debate, each presenting the other with evidence to support their claim. Soon, the friendly banter turns aggressive—and, consequently, the type grows larger with each page turn—as neither dog budges. Though the surprise ending resolves the mystery once and for all, an Australian shepherd arrives to start a similar conversation all over again. Hudson’s author/illustrator debut is a funny and insightful look at perspective-taking. Readers never see what the dogs see in the tree until the end, smartly inviting them to imagine alongside the characters. Silent bird side characters provide comedic relief throughout. The soft art—with spare but colorful details and plenty of white space—adds a dreamlike quality. Aside from a few sound effects, the narrative is conveyed through dialogue contained in color-coded speech bubbles. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 37% of actual size.)

Worth a look—and a head scratch or two. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: May 11, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-32331-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Dial Books

Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BEST FLOWER EVER!
by Neesha Hudson ; illustrated by Neesha Hudson

- BOOK REVIEW
WALK YOUR DOG
by Elizabeth Stevens Omlor ; illustrated by Neesha Hudson

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EVEN SUPERHEROES MAKE MISTAKES

by Shelly Becker ; illustrated by Eda Kaban ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 2, 2018

A decent romp with a few drawbacks.

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Caped crusaders take responsibility.

Everybody makes mistakes, even superheroes. This picture book uses rhyming couplets and playful, cartoon artwork to illustrate a variety of scenarios in which masked avengers mess up. They trip and fall, they catch “the wrong guys,” they even oversleep. Regardless of their missteps, heroes always get back up and try again, and they certainly do their best to set things right. The author’s sermon on personal responsibility is a bit too long, but little readers will enjoy the variety of superheroics on display. The mix of superhero-specific misdeeds (muffing the alignment of a bridge they are building) with totally unrelated ones (singing off-key) feels totally arbitrary and a little unkind, but for children facing difficulties with their own behavior, this picture book that acknowledges that “perfection is rare” and an apology goes far certainly hits the spot. The illustrations are suitably dynamic and colorful, boasting a range of male and female superheroes of various sizes and colors. Two negatives to the art: A preponderance of identified “bandits” appear to be people of color, and all three female heroes are wasp-waisted, and two wear short shorts and midriff-baring tops while the guys are covered head to toe. These trends really, really need to go.

A decent romp with a few drawbacks. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-4549-2703-7

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Sterling

Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ONE, TWO, GRANDPA LOVES YOU
by Shelly Becker ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

- BOOK REVIEW
EVEN SUPERHEROES GET SCARED
by Shelly Becker ; illustrated by Eda Kaban

- BOOK REVIEW
ONE, TWO, GRANDMA LOVES YOU
by Shelly Becker ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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BEAR FINDS EGGS

From the Bear Books series

by Karma Wilson ; illustrated by Jane Chapman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 16, 2024

Cheery fun that will leave series fans “egg”-static.

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In his latest outing, Bear and his pals go in search of eggs.

Bear “lumbers with his friends through the Strawberry Vale.” Raven finds a nest; climbing up, “The bear finds eggs!”: a refrain that appears throughout. Instead of eating the robin’s eggs, however, Bear leaves a gift of dried berries in the nest for the “soon-to-be-chicks.” Next, the friends find 10 mallard eggs (as bright blue as the robin’s), and Bear leaves sunflower seeds. Then the wail of Mama Meadowlark, whose bright yellow undercarriage strikes a warm golden note, leads them to promise to find her lost eggs. With his friends’ assistance, Bear finds one, and they decide to paint them “so they aren’t lost again.” Another is discovered, painted, and placed in Hare’s basket. After hours of persistent searching, Bear suddenly spots the remaining two eggs “in a small patch of clover.” Before they can return these eggs, the chicks hatch and rejoin their mother. Back at his lair, Bear, with his troupe, is visited by all 17 chicks and the robin, mallard, and meadowlark moms: “And the bear finds friends!” Though this sweet spring tale centers on finding and painting eggs, it makes no overt references to Easter. The soft green and blue acrylics, predictable rhymes, and rolling rhythm make this series installment another low-key natural read-aloud.

Cheery fun that will leave series fans “egg”-static. (Picture book. 3-6)