Like Gilbert, this soars.
A penguin longs to fly.
A half-hatched penguin peers out from his cracked-open egg on the title page, sharing his first view of the world with readers on the following double-page spread. The shell’s hole faces upward, so Gilbert sees only sky. “The moon glowed. The stars sparkled. The birds wheeled.” Gilbert’s enamored. He needs to fly. But…he’s a penguin. “[T]he storm petrels, the shearwaters, and the wandering albatross” soar “Up Up Up,” those three words marching upward on the page. Gilbert, in contrast, flaps, waddles, slips, spins, and tumbles. The harder he tries, the more he falls, and the more renditions of him appear, emphasizing his failure—even 19 at once. He looks like he’s dancing across the spread, but dancing isn’t his goal. Family is unhelpful: “Give it up, Gilbert,” and, “You’re a penguin, not a goose,” Uncle Crabstack and Aunt Anchovy say quellingly. Gilbert is undeterred. Trudging up a rocky, snowy height, he watches the albatross soar away “over the sparkling ocean.” He jumps to follow—and inadvertently finds his heart’s desire: the penguin version of flying, which is underwater and, it turns out, equally glorious. With masterful composition and scale changes, Bentley creates a white and gently patterned icy world where flying birds wing in elegance both near and far. He renders Gilbert’s fluffiness brilliantly in watercolor and pencil—Gilbert appears soft, not wet—while giving adult penguins sleek edges and flying birds a fine delicacy.
Like Gilbert, this soars. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5520-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist.
Can anyone be perfect?
Beatrice Bottomwell always does everything right. “Most people in town didn’t even know Beatrice’s name. They just called her ‘The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes,’ because for as long as anyone could remember, she never did.” One Thursday though, she almost does something wrong (she drops some eggs while cooking at school but catches them just in time). Straightforward text describes Beatrice’s predicament as, unnerved, she ponders her almost-error and begins to worry. What if she really does do something wrong? Brightly colored watercolors and gentle humor combine to portray Beatrice’s eventful day, her growing fear and her sprightly pet hamster. During a school talent show, Beatrice finally makes a real mistake—in front of everyone. How will she cope? Learning how to relax enough to laugh and simply be herself just might do the trick. While the plot is predictable and the solution to the problem fairly pat, this is a well-intentioned story, full of acceptance and goodwill. It will be especially useful in a therapeutic setting; it may be a real comfort to a child who is afraid of making mistakes, while children dealing with similar issues will also find reassurance here.
A good choice for offering comfort and support to a budding perfectionist. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4022-5544-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
