The details delight—but not the diversity.
In the imaginary city of Bustletown, every season brings new adventures.
As she did in series opener Winter (2019), Berner traces a set of recurring characters through seven two-page spreads: an apartment complex where many of the characters live; a farm-lined road leading to town; a train station; a neighborhood that includes a church, a kindergarten, and a cultural center; a downtown marketplace; a shopping mall; and a park. Readers of this title and its two seasonally publishing companions, Summer (Apr. 21) and Fall (Jul. 21), will see each setting develop with the seasons. The kindergarten, for example, goes from a patch of dirt to a fully functional building. In the outdoor marketplace, a family of storks builds a nest, hatches eggs, and migrates to warmer climes. In addition to these changes, each book features the town uniquely decorated for typical Western European holidays associated with each season (this is a German import). In the spring the cultural center is hung with Easter eggs; in the fall it hosts a pumpkin-carving contest. Each title is brilliantly detailed, and the consistency among them allows readers to imagine stories both within each volume and between them. Bustletown seems to be a mostly white community, and the few characters of color within—such as Santosh from India—dress in ethnic clothing, implying that they are visitors.
The details delight—but not the diversity. (Board book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-3-7913-7409-3
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Prestel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Magnifique! An ideal choice to share before a child’s first sleepover.
Methinks the gastropod doth protest too much.
Grab your pjs, toothbrush, and sleeping bag, because everyone’s favorite snail is inviting you to “a soirée pyjama”! Now starring in a fifth adventure, Escargot is quite the self-described expert on everything sleepover. There are movies to watch and snacks to eat. There’s also one activity that is forbidden: falling asleep! Luckily, Escargot has a foolproof plan to postpone sleep. Anytime readers see the snail starting to drift off, they are to yell, “WAKE UP, ESCARGOT!” As time passes, Escargot begins to fade, but our tiny hero initially refuses to admit defeat: “Probably you were sleeping and you dreamed that Escargot was asleep.” But finally, Escargot capitulates to exhaustion—and perhaps readers will, too, lulled by the sleepy snail’s soothing words: “Let us close our eyes and maybe also our mouths….But first, I must give you a kiss good night. Mwah!” With oversize, Disneyesque eyes and ineffable charm, Escargot is cuteness incarnate, while Slater’s peppy narration is a delight. Consider reading this book at storytime in a French accent. The book includes both familiar French terms and those likely to be new (like doudou for “stuffie”).
Magnifique! An ideal choice to share before a child’s first sleepover. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 14, 2026
ISBN: 9780374392291
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills.
What do you do when the world turns upside down?
Freckled redhead Tilda is a happy only child with a rollicking personality. With lots of books and toys and a multiracial group of friends, life is perfect as far as she’s concerned…until her world undergoes a troubling change (a subtle hint in the illustrations suggests that Tilda’s parents have divorced). Suddenly, nothing feels right, everything seems hard, and she doesn’t want to play with her friends. To reflect this emotional disorientation, the artwork shows Tilda in spatially distorted settings, complete with upside-down objects. It’s not until she sees an upturned ladybug struggle persistently before getting back on its feet (despite Tilda’s desire to help, the ladybug needs to help itself) that Tilda gains the courage to start taking baby steps in order to cope with her new reality. There are still challenges, and she needs to persevere, but eventually, she regains her zest for life and reconnects with her friends. Despite this, the ending avoids an easy happily-ever-after, which feels just right for the subject matter. Though a trifle didactic, the story sends an important message about the roles of self-efficacy and persistence when it comes to overcoming challenges and building resilience. Percival’s digital illustrations use transitions from grayscale to color to create symbolic meaning and have psychological depth, deftly capturing a child’s experience of trauma.
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0822-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
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