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BOO'S BEARD

Name: BOO'S BEARD
Author: Rose Mannering
ISBN: 978-1-63450-207-8

by Rose Mannering ; illustrated by Bethany Straker ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2015

Oversimplifies a complex issue.

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Children are given practice in reading facial expressions in this purposive picture book.

Though there are several children in the park outside Tom’s house, he’s lonely: “They didn’t play with Tom because he didn’t understand them, and they didn’t understand him.” Luckily, he’s got Boo, who wags her tail when she’s happy and whines when she is sad. One day, a girl in the park laughs as she watches Boo, as the dog’s beard is upturned in a smile. But Tom doesn’t understand. Sculpting the dog’s facial fur, Lydia emphasizes Boo’s smile and makes a direct connection: “Look! This smile means she’s happy.” She then models sad, angry, confused, and surprised with Boo’s beard and invites Tom to play. “ 'Okay,' said Tom. He pointed to his smile and said, ‘This means I’m happy.’ ” While readers may take away that there are some children who have not learned to read facial expressions, they may be frustrated when Lydia’s simplistic solution fails to work for every situation. Autism is never mentioned by name in the book (indeed, there is no letter to readers or parents and no backmatter), but it’s clear that Tom is on the spectrum, and parents of similar children may roll their eyes at the idea that teaching this skill is really this simple and one-and-done. Ironically, Straker’s illustrations show children with rather wooden expressions, and Boo’s aren’t all that clear, either.

Oversimplifies a complex issue. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-63450-207-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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HEDGEHOGS DON'T WEAR UNDERWEAR

by Marissa Valdez ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2025

Sure to have little ones giggling.

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Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”

Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.

Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: April 1, 2025

ISBN: 9781250814388

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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by Meena Harris ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez

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by Stephanie Allain & Jenny Klion ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez

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by Elizabeth Olsen & Robbie Arnett ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)