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DRAT THAT FAT CAT!

This fresh version of “Fat Cat” features lots of rhyming words and an infectious chorus. A smiling tiger-striped kitty, already chunky-looking in Busby’s bright, unfettered cartoons, sets off down the road in search of food. Swelling as he goes until he crowds the edges of the page, he downs in succession a rat, a dog, a duck, and an old lady—“But was that cat fat enough? No he was not!” Learning the true meaning of indigestion after gulping a bee, however, he hiccups up his tummy’s irritated occupants with a loud, “Meow, ow, ow!” and goes off with the old lady to fatten up on less contentious provender. Destined to be a story-time favorite, this is the most engaging rendition of the tale since Jack Kent’s 1971 classic. (Picture book/folktale. 4-7)

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2003

ISBN: 0-439-47195-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Levine/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2003

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TURKEY'S VALENTINE SURPRISE

From the Turkey Trouble series , Vol. 6

The spirit of Valentine’s Day shines bright in this caring community.

Gobble, gobble! Grab this farmyard story full of Valentine’s Day puns.

The animals on Farmer Jake’s farm are exchanging valentines. Delighted by a card from a secret admirer (“You are like no otter!”), Turkey decides to make clever valentines and surreptitiously deliver them to the other animals. Luckily, he has some punny inspiration for perfect Valentine’s Day messages. “You’re purr-fect.” “You’re dog-gone delightful.” “You’re toad-ally awesome!” As Turkey dons a different disguise for each delivery, the story offers a refrain that young listeners will soon chant. “His costume wasn’t bad. In fact, Turkey looked just like a cat…almost.” (The refrain changes slightly with each disguise.) Unfortunately, the other animals always recognize Turkey and greet him with a pun. But the animals also compliment his valentine and help to create a pun for his next one. Sadly, the animals always know who the valentines are from, so Turkey decides to “gobble, gobble, give up!” Returning home to read his own valentines, Turkey has an idea, and he quickly creates a festive and delicious surprise for the Valentine’s dance. Readers will have to decide if Turkey has finally managed to surprise the other animals. Boldfaced puns within the story are easy to spot, and Turkey’s cards also feature puns along with adorable illustrations. Detailed watercolor and pencil illustrations bring to life a farm filled with loving friends and highlight Turkey’s clever and ever changing costumes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

The spirit of Valentine’s Day shines bright in this caring community. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Dec. 13, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5420-2366-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Two Lions

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022

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THE TOAD

From the Disgusting Critters series

A light dose of natural history, with occasional “EWWW!” for flavor

Having surveyed worms, spiders, flies, and head lice, Gravel continues her Disgusting Critters series with a quick hop through toad fact and fancy.

The facts are briefly presented in a hand-lettered–style typeface frequently interrupted by visually emphatic interjections (“TOXIN,” “PREY,” “EWWW!”). These are, as usual, paired to simply drawn cartoons with comments and punch lines in dialogue balloons. After casting glances at the common South American ancestor of frogs and toads, and at such exotic species as the Emei mustache toad (“Hey ladies!”), Gravel focuses on the common toad, Bufo bufo. Using feminine pronouns throughout, she describes diet and egg-laying, defense mechanisms, “warts,” development from tadpole to adult, and of course how toads shed and eat their skins. Noting that global warming and habitat destruction have rendered some species endangered or extinct, she closes with a plea and, harking back to those South American origins, an image of an outsized toad, arm in arm with a dark-skinned lad (in a track suit), waving goodbye: “Hasta la vista!”

A light dose of natural history, with occasional “EWWW!” for flavor . (Informational picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: July 5, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-77049-667-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tundra Books

Review Posted Online: April 12, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2016

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