This ostensibly boring book is truly full of fun.
Finn the Frog returns with the intent to entertain in this latest installment of Keres’ picture-book series.
Addressing the reader of the book directly as “kid,” Finn tries to figure out a fun way to spend the day. Finn suggests sports, board games, a dance party, riddles, building with blocks, and puzzles, but nothing seems to catch the reader’s attention. Finn refuses to let tedium prevail: “Never in my life have I been called BORING,” the frog protests. Finally, Finn creates a diversion reminiscent of a video game that does entertain the reader—and nets Finn a full stomach. Finn’s comical narration is sure to appeal to fans of Mo Willems’ Pigeon books. Lin’s charming illustrations are packed with puns (the board games suggested include “Pondopoly” and “Settlers of the Swamp”), and Finn’s rounded, simple design and huge eyes will encourage readers to try to draw him on their own. (Froggy butt cheeks, visible every time Finn turns around, may elicit giggles.) The text is presented in a strong black font, enlarging certain words for emphasis or adding color and texture to reflect the word’s meaning (cornfield looks like ears of corn). The book includes some stretch words for young readers (like preferences) as well as some slangy constructions to sound out (“Whatddya say, kid?”); overall, the vocabulary is accessible and clear from the context.
This ostensibly boring book is truly full of fun.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781964021041
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Flypaper Press
Review Posted Online: March 31, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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