A preachy but upbeat antidote to grumpiness.
Can kindness be catching?
The Yowler family consists of pointy-eared, sharp-toothed, horned monsters who are terminally glum. In fact, “at the Yowlers’ house, grumpiness [is] a way of life.” Text full of alliteration and gentle humor describes various mildly troublesome situations that arise. Whether the family is attempting to garden, clean up, or go shopping, things end with inevitable grumbling, brawling, shrieking—and messes. Until, that is, some brown-skinned human neighbors move in next door. Appropriately named the Nicelys, they’re friendly and helpful and do strange things with their teeth (readers will realize they’re smiling)—whatever can this mean? The Yowlers find themselves reconsidering their grumpy way of life and begin to display more positive traits, including resilience and consideration, and soon they’re even smiling. By the end of the story, their pointy ears, sharp teeth, and horns are a distant memory, and the Yowlers are depicted as light-skinned humans. As a tool for social-emotional learning, this somewhat didactic tale verges on oversimplification but clearly states its explicit message about kindness in terms kids will easily understand. Funny, action-filled illustrations reminiscent of Mercer Mayer’s work round out this lesson in positivity.
A preachy but upbeat antidote to grumpiness. (PIcture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9780593109885
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
Sure to have little ones giggling.
Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”
Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.
Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781250814388
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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