The wolfish pictures are charmingly done, and the basic plot is sure to appeal, but the underpinning metaphor (regardless of...
An energetic young werewolf delights in his speed and strength in this British import.
Oliver, depicted as a child with brown skin and tightly curled black hair, is at the bus stop when suddenly all of his friends flee. He doesn’t understand why the bus won’t stop for him nor why a man shouts, “Help! A werewolf!” when approached—until a glimpse of his reflection reveals his transformation. Oliver’s excited to run, jump, and howl, but his glee is short-lived, quickly turning to anxiety: If friends run away terrified, how will his parents react? Happily, Oliver comes from a family of werewolves—his parents are unperturbed, and they’re all human again at sunrise. Some readers may appreciate seeing this black child revel in supernatural abilities. However, the story also shows Oliver denied service on public transportation and treated as a menace on the street before he realizes he’s a werewolf, which is serious, even distressing in an American context. Emotive illustrations, lupine jokes galore, and a vigorous story are balanced against troubling possible interpretations.
The wolfish pictures are charmingly done, and the basic plot is sure to appeal, but the underpinning metaphor (regardless of intent) makes it difficult to recommend this title without reservations . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 26, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-25433-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, if oft-told, story.
A plush toy rabbit bonds with a boy and watches him grow into adulthood.
The boy receives the blue bunny for his birthday and immediately becomes attached to it. Unbeknownst to him, the ungendered bunny is sentient; it engages in dialogue with fellow toys, giving readers insight into its thoughts. The bunny's goal is to have grand adventures when the boy grows up and no longer needs its company. The boy spends many years playing imaginatively with the bunny, holding it close during both joyous and sorrowful times and taking it along on family trips. As a young man, he marries, starts a family, and hands over the beloved toy to his toddler-aged child in a crib. The bunny's epiphany—that he does not need to wait for great adventures since all his dreams have already come true in the boy's company—is explicitly stated in the lengthy text, which is in many ways similar to The Velveteen Rabbit (1922). The illustrations, which look hand-painted but were digitally created, are moderately sentimental with an impressionistic dreaminess (one illustration even includes a bunny-shaped cloud in the sky) and a warm glow throughout. The depiction of a teenage male openly displaying his emotions—hugging his beloved childhood toy for example—is refreshing. All human characters present as White expect for one of the boy’s friends who is Black.
A sweet, if oft-told, story. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72825-448-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
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