A delightful kids’ book with dual themes of ocean conservation and overcoming bias.
A cat conquers his fear of crabs while indulging his love of the ocean in Allieri’s illustrated children’s book.
Aqua Paws is a ginger feline who, unlike most other cats, absolutely adores the water. He only has one issue with his beloved ocean, and it’s the fact that crabs live in it: “Their tiny claws scared him, and he was always afraid one was going to pinch him.” Aqua Paws is so afraid of them that he even jumps when his turtle friend, Purple Beak, surprises him, believing he’s a crab. The two embark on a boating trip to look for undersea treasures to keep, as well as litter to collect (and dispose of). Aqua Paws loves all the sea life he finds, locating pearls and encountering puffer fish. He’s having a blast when he suddenly happens upon a giant crab. He’s scared at first, but the crustacean doesn’t seem to care much about him at all. Purple Beak swims off to find a shiny object in deep water, and Aqua Paws is left alone, looking for treasure closer to the surface. He spots litter that he’s determined to clean up, but he gets stuck inside its plastic rings instead. Purple Beak is nowhere to be found—and who should approach but the giant crab who frightened Aqua Paws earlier? Allieri’s picture book, following My Cat Thinks He’s a Puppy (2022), is a cleanly structured tale that addresses prejudice and the importance of keeping the ocean clean; readers may find it reminiscent of Kelly DiPucchio’s Oona and the Shark(2022). The two main concepts tie together nicely in Aqua Paws’ scenes with the crab, allowing the story to be fun and educational without coming off as dry. Aftermatter includes tips on the ocean and for making crab-themed crafts. Maris’ beautiful full-color illustrations are rendered in a variety of media that appropriately includes watercolor for the undersea scenes. Her use of light and shadow make the crab seem ominous and the ocean appear glorious while maintaining a bright, varied color palette.
A delightful kids’ book with dual themes of ocean conservation and overcoming bias.Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9798986847030
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Aqua Kids Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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