Would that every sibling squabble ended this well.
It’s the day of Books and Buddies (the best school event of the year), but can Tony and Big Sister manage to get through the day on their Best Behavior?
Of course not, but luckily, they (and readers) learn a lesson along the way. The two start off very well cleaning up the house, but the glitter’s their undoing, and there will be no Books and Buddies for the Baloney sibs. An act of revenge on Big Sister’s part ultimately brings the kids together, as she kindly helps Tony spiff up Dandelion (his alter ego, umh, stuffed ostrich) after his disastrous diaper-bag trip to the Bothersome Babies’ playgroup (just think VERY pink). And because they manage to make up on their own and clean up the glitter mess, Momma and Poppa relent about Books and Buddies…and Dandelion isn’t the only stuffed friend who’s a bit overfluffed. Fotheringham’s macaroni penguins are as delightful as ever, their every facial expression and gesture broadcasting their feelings and personalities. The digital pages are brightened by vibrant splashes of blue, yellow, red and green; and let’s not overlook pink—Dandelion’s makeover is something else, indeed. Ryan proves yet again that she understands young children; Tony’s summary of the situation (as told to his stuffed army walruses) is spot-on, as is his understanding of time: “After four hours, or maybe only forty minutes, Dandelion is clean and fluffy.”
Would that every sibling squabble ended this well. (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: June 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-545-48169-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 8, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2014
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.
The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.
On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780316561341
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.
A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-30311-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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