A rousing, toothy adventure.
A young girl must figure out a way to help a sharp-toothed and fearsome creature many times her size.
Crocodiles come from all over the jungle to see the child they call Little Doctor, who attends to a variety of ailments: splinters, sprains, and self-esteem issues. In return for her ministrations they regale the girl with stories of adventure and fearless beasts. Then an enormous crocodile known as Big Mean appears at the girl’s door, and it takes some patience and an accidental trip inside Big Mean’s jaws to diagnose the problem. Little Doctor frees four hatchlings (carried gently inside Big Mean’s mouth) tangled and trapped by a plastic beverage yoke. Gilmore’s crocodiles, both large and small, are reptilian and sly, even dangerous-looking, accentuating the child’s devotion to these far-from-cuddly creatures. The girl is light-skinned, slim, determined, and serious. Her house in the jungle is filled with crocodile-themed art, including diagrams of the crocodilian life cycle and anatomy, and tools of the doctor’s trade—clipboards, a reflex hammer. The art is angular and detailed, with fine lines and subtle colors. The use of the word “fearless” instead of “fearsome” to describe the crocodiles emphasizes the courage it takes both humans and wild creatures to trust. Big Mean repays with a tale of “great daring and determination”—a story about the Little Doctor herself.
A rousing, toothy adventure. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77147-344-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
Too many bugs, figuratively.
Lucy, “the youngest member of a family of fireflies,” must overcome an irrational, moon-induced anxiety in order to leave her family tree trunk and glow.
The first six pages pull readers into a lush, beautiful world of nighttime: “When the sun has set, silence falls over the Big Forest, and all of the nighttime animals wake up.” Mixed media provide an enchanting forest background, with stylized flora and fauna eventually illuminated by a large, benign moon, because the night “doesn’t like to catch them by surprise.” Turning the page catches readers by surprise, though: the family of fireflies is decidedly comical and silly-looking. Similarly, the text moves from a lulling, magical cadence to a distinct shift in mood as the bugs ready themselves for their foray into the night: “They wave their bottoms in the air, wiggle their feelers, take a deep, deep breath, and sing, ‘Here we go, it’s time to glow!’ ” It’s an acceptable change, but more unevenness follows. Lucy’s excitement about finally joining the other bugs turns to “sobbing” two nights in a row. Instead of directly linking her behavior to understandable reactions of children to newness, the text undermines itself by making Lucy’s parents’ sweet reassurances impotent and using the grandmother’s scientific explanation of moonlight as an unnecessary metaphor. Further detracting from the story, the text becomes ever denser and more complex over the book’s short span.
Too many bugs, figuratively. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2015
ISBN: 978-84-16147-00-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
A laugh-out-loud tale that also fosters respect for nature.
Bird gives Squirrel a lesson in spring and the flowers that come with it.
Everyone’s favorite overly possessive squirrel, introduced in The Leaf Thief (2021), returns for a new seasonal tale. Happy to see the leaves back on their tree, Squirrel is surprised by odd sounds. Then a strange bird flies at Squirrel’s head. Squirrel runs to their friend Bird, who has all the answers: Those noises were a cuckoo’s call and a bumblebee, and the bird was a swallow—all are signs of spring. The duo discover a tiny yellow flower, which Bird says is another sign of spring. Squirrel asserts possession (of course) and proceeds to try to protect it. Squirrel wants to keep it from getting wet, but Bird explains the flower needs the rain. Squirrel tries to safeguard the flower from the bees until Bird says that bees help flowers. After Squirrel’s attempt to keep the flower safe under a bucket nearly kills it, Bird persuades Squirrel to leave the flower be…and the next morning, they wake to a wonderful surprise. Hemming’s naïve squirrel and sage bird team up again for a giggle-inducing lesson about the natural world, brought to life by Slater’s energetic, bright, digitally created art, featuring endearing, big-eyed characters. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A laugh-out-loud tale that also fosters respect for nature. (flower facts) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-72827-136-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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