by Raven Howell ; illustrated by Audrey Day ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2022
A simple, bright, if sentimental, tale of a new friendship and fresh beginnings.
In this picture book, a child considers befriending different animals before meeting the boy next door.
“I’d like to have a little gnat / but dad says gnats are tiny. / I couldn’t pat a teeny gnat / and some of them are whiny,” the tan-skinned narrator explains. This initiates a rhyming series of adjudications on members of the animal kingdom who might be his friend, but are unsatisfying for some reason. It’s too hot where he lives for polar bears, and his house is too small for elephants—which introduces the revelation that the protagonist has just moved and is lonely. Day’s digital paintings in textured brush strokes illuminate Howell’s story, though the level of creativity varies. The reasons for the animals’ dismissals are a bit dubious, and the rhymes are cutesy—a porcupine won’t do because “if I’m spiked from his dislike / I might get very sickly.” Still, the child enjoys meditating on their traits—until he meets Florenzo, a neighbor boy with dark skin who likes exploring. The boys search for pirates in the park and imagine a bird egg will hatch a dinosaur. Once another kid appears, friendship is straightforward—character development is not this story’s aim. “Imagination is a friend. / It strums a happy song” concludes the sugary verse, a little discordantly. But children looking to make friends after a life change will be heartened and comforted by the potential for finding pals in unfamiliar places.
A simple, bright, if sentimental, tale of a new friendship and fresh beginnings.Pub Date: June 21, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-956357-29-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lawley Enterprises LLC
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by James Dean ; illustrated by James Dean ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018
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
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by Maren Morris & Karina Argow ; illustrated by Kelly Anne Dalton ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2024
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade.
An ant explores her world.
Addie Ant’s ready for adventure. Despite some trepidation about leaving the Tomato Bed, where she lives with her aunt, she plucks up her courage and ventures forth across the garden to the far side of the shed. On her journey, she meets her pal Lewis Ladybug, who greets her warmly, points the way, and offers sage advice. When Addie arrives at her destination, she’s welcomed by lovely Beatrix Butterfly and enjoys an “ant-tastic” helping of watermelon. Beatrix also provides Addie with take-home treats and a map for the “Cricket Express,” which will take her straight home. Arriving at the terminal, Addie’s delighted to meet another friend, Cleo Cricket, whose carriage service returns Addie home in “two hops.” After eating a warm tomato soup dinner, Addie falls asleep and dreams of future exploits. Adorable though not terribly original, this story brims with sensuous pleasures, both textual and visual. Kids who declare that they dislike fruits or veggies may find their mouths watering at the mentions and sights of luscious tomatoes, peas, beans, watermelons, berries, and other foodstuffs; insect-averse readers may likewise think differently after encountering these convivial, wide-eyed characters. And those flowers and herbs everywhere! The highlights are the colors that burst from the pages. Addie’s an endearing, empowering character who reassures children they’ll be able to take those first independent steps successfully.
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade. (author’s note about ants) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781797228914
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
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