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THE BOY WHO CRIED BIGFOOT!

Name: THE BOY WHO CRIED BIGFOOT!
Author: Scott Magoon
ISBN: 978-1-4424-1257-6

by Scott Magoon & illustrated by Scott Magoon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2013

Entertaining and clever—and that’s no lie.

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Some boys cry wolf, but to the admiration of one individual, Ben cries Bigfoot.

The opening line by an unseen narrator introduces the young tale-teller: “This is the story of my friend Ben and how we first met.” Events unfold over the course of a day, with cartoon-style art providing definitive clues as to the passage of time. In the morning, Ben rides his bicycle to the top of a hill, where he calls out: “LOOK, EVERYONE! IT’S BIGFOOT!” With the narrator providing commentary, the hilltop becomes a stage onto which other characters enter and exit. Ben is the constant, always trying to provoke response. Readers will quickly note that the indulgent narrator’s voice is at odds with Ben’s increasingly frantic antics, and they will begin to wonder just who is telling the story. Could it be Bigfoot? Indeed! He likes Ben’s determination—and Ben’s bike, which he takes for a little spin that night, leaving a scared Ben behind. Youngsters may at first feel glad that Ben gets his comeuppance when no one rushes to his aid but will soon relent when they see how forlorn Ben looks alone in the dark. Once home, it seems Ben has learned his lesson, although how he determines to tell the truth in the future is bound to leave readers giggling.

Entertaining and clever—and that’s no lie. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4424-1257-6

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BATS ON THE BUS
by Alison Jackson ; illustrated by Scott Magoon

- BOOK REVIEW
ROCKET BEAMS, LUNAR DREAMS
by Chiara Colombi ; illustrated by Scott Magoon

- BOOK REVIEW
ROCKET SHIP, SOLO TRIP
by Chiara Colombi ; illustrated by Scott Magoon

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LOST AND FOUND

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2026

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.

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Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.

After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.

Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026

ISBN: 9780063436121

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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THE PUMPKIN THIEF

From the Leaf Thief series

by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.

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Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.

Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.

More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)