This celebration of differences displays great respect for readers’ intelligence and yields more with each reading.
The amphibian in this Australian import is actually a child who likes to dress as something else because it “makes me feel brave.”
The child had tried being a cat, but good friend Camille discreetly suggested (after watching a friend run repeatedly from a dog) that a different animal might work better. DeGennaro’s introduction places the two on opposite sides of the gutter, highlighting their differences. The narrator sports one-piece pajamas, green slippers, and a green, knitted cap with two froglike bulges on top. Behind the narrator are collages of the tadpole’s life cycle. Camille, wearing her signature red polka-dot boots, is surrounded by graphs and numbers. Although the protagonist knows that when Camille recites the six times table it signals hunger, her repetition and wriggling during measurements for a matching costume are maddening; the narrator’s frustrated outburst causes her to walk off the page. These rosy-cheeked white children, created on the taupe pages with ink, pencil, and Conte crayons, exude personality—through lopsided goggles and smiles, gentle gestures, and bodies that relate to each other as if through gravitational pull. Sequential panels, thought bubbles, and backgrounds are expertly designed with mathematical symbols and frogs, enhancing comprehension of the characters’ interior worlds. The visuals surrounding their endearing embrace show how unspoken layers contribute to communication and reconciliation.
This celebration of differences displays great respect for readers’ intelligence and yields more with each reading. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7130-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Charming and utterly delightful.
The doggie duo make a welcome return.
In this second entry in the Doggo and Pupper early-reader series, the canine pals’ distinctive personalities come more fully to the fore, and readers discover how close they truly are. Worrywart Pupper may be afraid of giant squirrels, but he longs to be a hero like Wonder Dog, whose exploits he marvels at on TV. He also has real drumming talent, nurtured by Doggo. Doggo is fully realized as a music-loving, tenderhearted, reassuring elder statesman who always has Pupper’s back. In this outing, the pair also enjoy watching the babies in a family of neighboring nesting birds learn to fly. The dog pals’ mutual interest in music, a concert the friends plan to attend in the local park, and a helpless fledgling who hasn’t quite found its wings and requires rescuing—all these plot points culminate in a heartwarming ending that delivers a wonderful message about patience, kindness, and selflessness. Doggo and Pupper may not actually save the world here, but they do offer up a lovely reading experience for emergent readers through simple, dialogue-laden prose that beginning readers should be able to master readily. As in the first series title, the colorful collage and digital illustrations are energetic and endearing. “Pupper’s Guide to Being a Hero,” a 10-step list with suggestions such as “Be helpful” and “Share what you have,” concludes the book. Seen only briefly, the dogs’ owners appear to be light-skinned.
Charming and utterly delightful. (Chapter book. 5-8)Pub Date: March 22, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-62100-9
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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