Charming animal tales starring captivating characters.
Two mice embark on a series of misadventures in this chapter book.
Best friends Toofer and The Giblet live together in Humble Tree, which stands somewhere in sprightly, forested Nimblewood. The mice get along well despite their opposite personalities; Toofer is a homebody, while The Giblet yearns for adventure in the great outdoors. Though they don’t venture much farther than Nimblewood, they still find plenty of action. The Giblet, for example, wants to try his paw at swinging through trees after seeing “silly little monkey” Finnegan Flynn glide so effortlessly. But even on quiet days in the woods, The Giblet is such a ham that he keeps things lively. When he finds a new hat, he struts through Nimblewood, positive that everyone will stop to admire and compliment it. He’s also certain that all the animals will show up for his birthday bash, the one Toofer must be secretly planning. They claim they’re getting ready for the River Races, but surely that’s a ruse so as not to spoil a surprise party, right? Through all of The Giblet’s escapades, Toofer stays a loyal chum who keeps him grounded—sometimes literally, as the mouse is prone to climbing trees much higher than he should. The two friends are surrounded by amiable animal neighbors, from Miss Molly the motherly goose and the often feuding tree frog brothers Felipe and Thaddeus to Arthur the mole, whose calm temperament matches Toofer’s. Their everyday lives make Nimblewood a homey place chock-full of stories.
LeBlanc’s endlessly fun children’s book features a winsome cast, starting with the titular pals. It’s clear that his roommate’s shenanigans exhaust Toofer, but he’s never mean and always accommodating. The rest of the cast comprises an array of animals; there’s Jack the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, who plans to take over the world, as well as the ant kingdom that serves “gracious and honorable” Queen Sofie. There are likewise copious lessons that readers will glean. For example, The Giblet fancies a jar of marbles mostly because Grace the squirrel has her eyes on it, but he learns a selfless gift can be an even more prized possession. Though each of the volume’s chapters has a self-contained story, the tales are all part of one cohesive world. Supporting characters pop up throughout the work, as do recurring jokes, like Toofer’s complaints about his consistently messy housemate. LeBlanc aims this smart book at intermediate readers, and spry, entertaining dialogue harmonizes with lyrical details: “They stood at the water’s edge, and The Giblet bent forward, taking in the view of himself mirrored in the moonlit river.” Morozov’s cozy, watercolor illustrations sublimely capture the animals and their forest homes. The artwork is just as irresistible as the characters, such as Finnegan’s donning goggles on his furry head and Miss Molly’s leading her tiny goslings to the beach. Luckily, the author promises there will be more stories about the two fetching heroes and their friendly neighbors.
Charming animal tales starring captivating characters.Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2021
ISBN: 979-8-985150-70-4
Page Count: 94
Publisher: Dragon Horse Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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