Readers will root for this doughy hero.
Even toast can dream.
Toasty is a piece of bread. But he desperately longs to be a dog. He sees them running outside his window, fur flying in the breeze, catching Frisbees without a care in the world. If only he could do that too! However, he is practical. He knows that toast is different from dogs. (Besides the obvious difference of dogs sleeping in doghouses and Toasty sleeping in a toaster, he is also, well, made of bread.) Undeterred, he buckles a collar around his middle, slips out via the mail slot, and tries to play ball with the dogs. But instead of chasing the ball, they end up chasing him. Though he runs as fast as his stubby legs can carry him, Toasty is almost…toast. But his quick wits save him. He jumps onto a picnic blanket and camouflages himself as a sandwich. The dogs are confused. However, now a girl (depicted with pale skin and straight, dark hair) is about to take a bite of him! He woofs loudly. Unfazed by barking toast, the girl is thrilled. She has always wanted a dog but is allergic. A barking piece of bread is her perfect pet! Incredibly absurd but delightfully so, Hwang’s paintings play up the goofiness of the premise, equipping Toasty with itty-bitty stick legs and arms and a surprisingly convincing canine countenance. The neckless Toasty on all fours is particular funny.
Readers will root for this doughy hero. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4707-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson/Holiday House
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones.
What’s better than a cheerleading chicken?
Are you ever blue, unsure, tired, or overworked? Do you ever feel lost or overwhelmed? This uplifting book, expressed in delightful, jaunty verse, explains how to lift your spirits pronto: What you need is a booster chicken telling you’re doing great even when you’re not so confident, as when you’re learning or practicing a new skill, for instance. Your feathered champion will be right there, encouraging you all the way, with a loud “WOO HOO!” that’ll keep you going and remove any doubt you’re super terrific. But what if your cheerful chick errs and doesn’t do what it set out to do? Don’t worry—your cheery chicken just needs a reminder that everyone makes mistakes. That alone is a pep talk, enhanced by the wisdom that making mistakes allows everyone to learn and demonstrate they did their best. So forgive yourself, chickens! But the best thing is…instead of relying on someone else—like a chicken—to strengthen your ego, say a generous daily “WOO HOO!” to yourself. This riotous book hits all the right notes and does so succinctly and hilariously. The energetic, comical illustrations, in Boynton’s signature style, will elicit giggles and go far to make the book’s important point. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-316-48679-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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