The message is clear: Just be yourself, and friends will come
A little girl who is new to school uses a cardboard box to make friends.
As soon as she is noticed on the first day, Jessica lifts her teddy bear out of her box—but the children either laugh or walk away. On the second day, she fills her box with cupcakes, but as soon as the other children snatch them up, they leave without even a “thank you.” Her dog, Doris, goes to school in the box on the third day; she is an instant hit—but the groundskeeper takes Doris back home: “Can’t bring dogs to school.” On the fourth day she brings her box, empty, then puts it over her head. “She just wanted to disappear.” But a little boy spots her and begins a game of hide-and-seek: She’s made a friend at last. Carnavas tells his story with a minimum of words, counting on his spacious cartoons to fill in the gaps. Most notable among these is Jessica’s use of a wheelchair, a fact that is never concealed but that is nevertheless de-emphasized in favor of Jessica’s emotions. It’s not quite clear how old Jessica is, and readers may feel that her bringing a teddy bear to school is as silly as her classmates do, but that won’t stop them from empathizing with the lonely little girl. Carnavas’ Bob Graham–esque cartoons use color and humor in equal measure to create a winning protagonist.
The message is clear: Just be yourself, and friends will come . (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61067-347-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2015
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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