An easygoing story about seeking a place to call home and finding friendship in unlikely places.
Thompson’s children’s chapter book tells the story of an adventurous rodent who’s kind, brave, and looking for the good life.
Kudzu, a chipmunk, lives in a burrow in the flower garden on the Weatherbys' farm. One day, a stray German shepherd comes sniffing around and disturbs Kudzu’s burrow; fortunately, Mrs. Weatherby scares the dog off. While escaping further dangers, Kudzu ends up in the nearby woods, where he meets new creatures, such as Ophelia, an opossum. He also happens upon the German shepherd, but this time, the dog needs Kudzu’s help. The chipmunk then decides that returning to his parents’ burrow and reconnecting with his siblings is his best plan, but he’s devastated to find out that his childhood home has been bulldozed. Kudzu’s friendship with the dog, whose name is Quincy (“I heard someone read it off a street sign, and I decided to give it to myself”), grows as they teach each other about their worlds, and together they return to the Weatherbys’ place. Kudzu, Quincy, and a mouse named Stanley plot to ingratiate Quincy to the humans so that they’ll take him in as their pet. This chapter book is aimed at young readers, but it may remind older caregivers of movies such as Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993), in which animals, voiced by humans, wander around outdoors in a quest to get back where they belong. This story touches on some deep themes, such as parental loss, abandonment, and longing for connection, but the use of animals will make it easier to digest for a less-mature audience. Sometimes, however, the pace of the story is quite slow, with an excessive level of detail. The title also feels a bit misleading, as Kudzu’s life at the end of the book isn’t dramatically different from what it was at the start. Occasional realistic grayscale illustrations by Gledhill feature characters in various scenes from the narrative.
An easygoing story about seeking a place to call home and finding friendship in unlikely places.Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-63988-187-1
Page Count: 154
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come.
Little Blue Truck and his pal Toad meet friends old and new on a springtime drive through the country.
This lift-the-flap, interactive entry in the popular Little Blue Truck series lacks the narrative strength and valuable life lessons of the original Little Blue Truck (2008) and its sequel, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (2009). Both of those books, published for preschoolers rather than toddlers, featured rich storylines, dramatic, kinetic illustrations, and simple but valuable life lessons—the folly of taking oneself too seriously, the importance of friends, and the virtue of taking turns, for example. At about half the length and with half as much text as the aforementioned titles, this volume is a much quicker read. Less a story than a vernal celebration, the book depicts a bucolic drive through farmland and encounters with various animals and their young along the way. Beautifully rendered two-page tableaux teem with butterflies, blossoms, and vibrant pastel, springtime colors. Little Blue greets a sheep standing in the door of a barn: “Yoo-hoo, Sheep! / Beep-beep! / What’s new?” Folding back the durable, card-stock flap reveals the barn’s interior and an adorable set of twin lambs. Encounters with a duck and nine ducklings, a cow with a calf, a pig with 10 (!) piglets, a family of bunnies, and a chicken with a freshly hatched chick provide ample opportunity for counting and vocabulary work.
Uncomplicated fun that sets readers up for the earlier, more-complicated books to come. (Board book. 1-4)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-93809-0
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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