This intergenerational story has an ending sure to satisfy.
A young fox tries to share her passion for dancing when her grandmother comes to visit. Will she succeed in getting Grandma up on her feet?
Lucy loves to dance, but Mom warns on her way out of the house that there will be “No dancing, Lucy. You’ll wear Grandma out. Grandmas don’t dance.” This does not stop Lucy from trying. Each time she tries to coax her grandmother to dance, the older fox just shakes her head. Instead, they play ball, dress-up and cards. Readers will notice the knocked-over vase of flowers, the way the grandmother nurses her aching back and her overall fatigue as she attempts to keep up with her energetic granddaughter. Lucy finally realizes that Grandma may need to rest when she finds her napping in her hiding place during a game of hide-and-seek. When Lucy requests to cuddle instead of dance, Grandma responds in a most delightful way. A sung lullaby leads to gentle swaying, and soon both are dancing, “slowly at first, but then faster, until it seemed to Lucy that the whole world was dancing.” McMullen’s appealing watercolor illustrations skillfully paint the contrast between Lucy’s perky enthusiasm and Grandma’s careful movements.
This intergenerational story has an ending sure to satisfy. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-06-050747-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
A funny tale about stress and an ever upping ante, with a comforting end.
Something is preventing Owl from falling asleep.
Owl leans back against his white pillow and headboard. “Squeek!” says something underneath the bed. Owl’s never heard that sound before, so he fastens his pink bathrobe and answers the front door. Nobody. It must be the wind; back to bed. Bidding himself goodnight, he climbs into bed—and hears the noise again. Time after time, he pops out of bed seeking the squeaker. Is it in the cupboard? He empties the shelves. Under the floor? He pulls up his floorboards. As Owl’s actions ratchet up—he destroys the roof and smashes the walls, all in search of the squeak—so does his anxiety. Not until he hunkers down in bed under the night sky (his bed is now outdoors, because the house’s roof and walls are gone), frantically clutching his pillow, does he see what readers have seen all along: a small, gray mouse. In simple illustrations with black outlines, textured coloring, and foreshortened perspective, Pizzoli plays mischievously with mouse placement. Sometimes the mouse is behind Owl or just out of his sightline; other times, the mouse is on a solid, orange-colored page across the spread from Owl, which removes him from Owl’s scene in a rather postmodern manner. Is the mouse toying with Owl? Who knows?
A funny tale about stress and an ever upping ante, with a comforting end. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 19, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4847-1275-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
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