Another hilarious romp with this undeniably charismatic pair.
Maggie’s cat, Squash, has difficulty adjusting to the child’s new pillow.
The dynamic duo—consisting of energetic, flame-haired, light-skinned Maggie and her nap-loving orange feline—have returned. As in the first book, the text playfully and cleverly strings words together to spotlight the differences between the best friends. Squash is a “sleeping-in-the-sunshine, celebrating-from-the-sidelines, and then a nap-in-a-lap kind of cat,” while Maggie is a “playing-pirates, sparkling-in-the-sunlight, and producing-powerful-potions kind of” girl. When the two cuddle up at bedtime, they form a “cozy Squash-Maggosh circle—just the two of them.” Trouble arises when Maggie excitedly receives an eye-patched, squarish pillow shaped like a pirate. Squash’s uneasy jealousy turns to desperation when Maggie cuddles up with Pirate Lou Pillow at bedtime. While the text slyly uses understatement to great effect, the scribbly cartoon art becomes laugh-out-loud funny as Squash unsuccessfully tries to get rid of Lou while Maggie sleeps. Readers will identify with the cat’s feelings but also understand Maggie’s reactions as she repairs a scratched-up Lou and banishes Squash from her bed. Next, the plump feline gets stuck in the cat door as he tries to drag Lou outside for morning trash pickup. When Maggie rescues him and gently puts him to bed, he realizes that he misses the soft pillow pirate. Once again, Mayer explores friendship and the often-complex emotions it gives rise to, using a light touch and bringing her tale to a warm ending.
Another hilarious romp with this undeniably charismatic pair. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780593566565
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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