A winning tale of friendship and creativity unleashed.
Bear must devise a fun outing, and the pressure is on.
Fish has many great ideas for her and her pal Bear to try. They climb the tallest tree in the woods (Bear carries Fish’s bowl on her head), ride their “summer sled” to purchase carrot muffins at the bakery, and make a tent using Bear’s favorite blanket. But when Fish suggests that Bear should choose the next day’s activity, Bear is stumped. The night is a fretful one. Eyes wide with anxiety, Bear can’t sleep. “What if she couldn’t find an idea? What if that meant she wasn’t a good friend?” And even more worrisome, what if Fish stops being her friend completely? Throughout the story, Bear checks in: “Fish, are you there?” Fish responds with calm reassurance, never doubting Bear for a second. The next morning, with continued gentle encouragement from Fish, Bear spots the tools from the previous outings and comes up with a brand-new idea that incorporates all of them. Fans of Big Bear and Little Fish (2022) will be pleased to see these characters return. Trusting that an idea will come is a daunting prospect; readers will relate to the lead-up anxiety but also the rush of excitement when it finally arrives. Eyes pooling with worry, scraggly Bear eventually gives way to pure relief and delight—all palpable in the dynamic cartoonish art.
A winning tale of friendship and creativity unleashed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9798765610176
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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