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LET'S PLAY MAKE BEE-LIEVE

From the Bumble and Bee series , Vol. 2

Guaranteed to give emerging readers a buzz.

Who’d bee-lieve hanging with bees could be fun?

Froggy thinks differently. Though a neighbor of Bumble and Bee, Froggy would rather read in the pond and stay out of their games. Somehow, though, the amphibian gets roped in. Take guess-the-animal. While the apian duo demonstrates ineptitude at figuring out what creature each pretends to be(e)—though it’s clearly obvious to readers—Froggy attends to reading. Or tries to—hopeless glances at readers are priceless until, exasperated, Froggy butts in with the answers. Before long, Froggy enters the game and, due to an unexpected visitor the bees notice but Froggy doesn’t, they guess Froggy’s “identity” immediately. The other stories in this small graphic early reader, just the right size for little hands, are equally comical. A pirate game with the bees rewards Froggy with the “sweetest treasure in the world,” though, sadly, not of the sugar-laden, high-calorie kind. In the final story, the bees’ confused hide-and-seek session finally brings Froggy peaceful reading time. This rollicking collection, presented comics style and with dialogue set mostly in speech balloons, will have readers forgetting any fears of bees and eager to join these quirky friends. Simple language and sweet, expressive, humorous illustrations that work perfectly with the text will have children giggling and enjoying reading success.

Guaranteed to give emerging readers a buzz. (Early reader. 3-6)

Pub Date: April 7, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-338-50525-2

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Acorn/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020

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IZZY GIZMO AND THE INVENTION CONVENTION

From the Izzy Gizmo series

A disappointing follow-up.

Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).

While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.

A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 1, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Peachtree

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020

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RUBY FINDS A WORRY

From the Big Bright Feelings series

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...

Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.

Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.

A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-5476-0237-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019

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