Brimming with positivity and camaraderie, a cozy story to help dispel anxieties.
Two friends deal with pre-adventure jitters.
An apple-cheeked, Sasquatch-esque creature named Warm proposes taking a trip. Fuzzy, who’s smaller, with similar features and mouselike ears, responds with a list of what ifs. “What if it’s really cold? Or super hot? What if it’s scary? What if there are no bathrooms? Or worse, no toilet paper?!” As the two pack and begin the journey, Fuzzy asks where they’re going, but Warm keeps that a secret. Warm reassures Fuzzy: “Everything really will be fine.” But Fuzzy’s worries come to a head on a page filled with the little creature’s worries, expressed in stream-of-consciousness ramblings. Depending on how anxious the audience is, Fuzzy’s concerns will either be all too relatable or lovably laughable. Warm responds with a pep talk, reminding the little one that the two of them are intelligent, resilient, and imaginative—words sure to fuel any uncertain youngster’s foray into the unknown. The pair surefootedly step through a magical door; wordless scenes depict them thriving. Comfy pinks and browns anchor the images of the two sweet-faced protagonists. Fuzzy’s frequent queries about toilet paper—and the lack thereof—keep the narrative from becoming too heavy. This tale will please anyone in the mood for a lighthearted adventure, though grown-ups will also want to share it with the young worrywarts in their lives.
Brimming with positivity and camaraderie, a cozy story to help dispel anxieties. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: April 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781774884423
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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