An entertaining, educational introduction to New York for readers of all ages.
A young fox tours New York City in this rhyming picture book.
Fitz is thrilled to visit New York for the first time. The fox and his mom take a taxi and visit landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. On their way to the Central Park Zoo, Fitz worries because they missed their subway stop. Luckily, they make it to the Bronx Zoo in time to feed the penguins. Next, they tour famous places like Times Square. Fitz often describes what he sees (“We’re...walking on a lawn—in a giant park with a lake that has boats to ride on”). The sightseeing continues as they wander through museums and visit Grand Central Terminal. Though exhausted from his jam-packed excursion, Fitz can’t wait for his next adventure. This series opener offers a welcoming look at New York. Reese Traves displays clear knowledge of the locales depicted; each page featuring a specific attraction provides “sidebars” with relevant facts. For example, on a page showing the Empire State Building, the supplemental text explains: “This building has 79 elevators…it is one of the most photographed buildings in the world.” This wealth of information makes the book best suited as a kid-friendly travel guide as opposed to a traditional read-aloud. The charming, creative illustrations by Jon Traves, the author’s husband, amplify the text. Readers will appreciate the unique interpretations of city life with fun extras like meticulously detailed maps.
An entertaining, educational introduction to New York for readers of all ages.Pub Date: Aug. 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73460-210-4
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Good Avenue Books
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts.
Ohtani, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, teams up with Blank and Liem to tell the story of how his dog, Decoy, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
It’s a big day! Decoy leaps “off the bed. Then back onto the bed. Then off the bed.” The enthusiastic pup heads outside to practice with his lucky baseball but is quickly distracted by squirrels (“we’ll play later!”), airplanes (“flyin’ high!”), and flowers (“smell ya soon!”). Dog and pitcher then head to the ballpark. In the locker room, Decoy high-paws Shohei’s teammates. It’s nearly time! But as Shohei prepares to warm up, Decoy realizes that he’s forgotten something important: his lucky ball. Without it, there will be “no championships, no parades, and no hot dogs!” Back home he goes, returning just in time. With Shohei at the plate, Decoy runs from the mound to his owner, rolling the ball into Shohei’s mitt for a “Striiiiike!” Related from a dog’s point of view, Ohtani and Blank’s energetic text lends the tale a sense of urgency and suspense. Liem’s illustrations capture the excitement of the first day of baseball season and the joys of locker room camaraderie, as well as Shohei and Decoy’s mutual affection—even when the ball is drenched in slobber, Shohei’s love for his pet shines through, and clearly, Decoy is focused when it matters.
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063460775
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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