A charming picture book for the very young, whether or not they are fussy about clothes.
A little owl struggles with accessory problems.
Little Owl lives with his Mommy in a tree house on the edge of the city park. He loves all the things little owls usually love: doing arithmetic, eating ice cream and riding a scooter. There is one flaw in this idyllic scenario: He does not love his new scarf. It is too long, too orange and too itchy. His mother insists that he wear it. He does his best to surreptitiously “lose” the scarf, by using it as a ribbon for a present for Grandpa and by putting it in a suitcase bound for Peru, but Mommy always seems to find it. Until one day…Little Owl returns from a trip to the zoo, minus the hated scarf. This piece of bad luck turns out to be an opportunity for a bit of mother-child bonding. This time, Mommy lets her son choose the yarn for a new scarf, a tasteful blue, and Little Owl is much happier. The new scarf is soft, the right length and not orange. The mystery of where the orange scarf went is revealed in the last picture, sure to elicit chuckles. Feeney’s naïve pencil-and-duotone illustrations, which use printmaking techniques to add interesting textures, complement the simple narrative and gentle message; both pacing and subtle adjustments to Little Owl’s expression add humor.
A charming picture book for the very young, whether or not they are fussy about clothes. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 11, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-449-81411-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This sweet story of first-time pet ownership is sure to appeal to young animal lovers of all kinds and especially to feline...
McQuinn and Beardshaw’s (Leo Can Swim, 2016, etc.) adorable, black preschool heroine, Lola, is back for another turn.
Lola loves cats, as is evident by her bedroom full of plush cat dolls and feline artwork, but what Lola desires most of all is a real-life cat to call her own. Mommy is hesitant, warning that “looking after a cat is a lot of work,” but when Lola proves she is up to the task, Mommy relents and accompanies Lola to the animal shelter to select a kitten to rescue. “Before Lola can decide, one little cat chooses her!” Many readers will surely appreciate the plotline of shelter-animal pet adoption. Once their home is prepared, Lola and Mommy bring the kitten home, where Lola dubs her Makeda after “an African queen.” Throughout, Beardshaw’s signature bright acrylic illustrations with soft edges pop with youthful exuberance. Details such as Lola’s simple care chart may even serve as inspiration for other young aspiring pet owners. The simple text makes this a suitable story for sharing one-on-one or in a small group or for beginning readers to pursue independently.
This sweet story of first-time pet ownership is sure to appeal to young animal lovers of all kinds and especially to feline fanciers. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58089-736-5
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
A charmingly loud and lighthearted friendship story.
A freckle-faced white child with a mass of red curls piled three times the height of her head is flying her kite near a snowcapped mountaintop when—“snap!”—the string breaks, and the toy is blown into a sleeping bear’s cave, coming to rest on his belly.
Readers are cued into the nonscary absurdity as they observe the orange-furred bear napping in a Froggy Hollow Summer Camp T-shirt stretched across his huge belly, a tiny teddy bear tucked in his arm. As the girl reaches for her kite, the bear rolls over, crushing it: “crunch!” The girl is shocked into a fit of righteous anger, blaming the bear for breaking her toy. “HORRIBLE BEAR!”—and so begins the refrain of her angry tantrum. The team that brought readers the adorable Wolfie the Bunny (2014) continues their success here. OHora’s paintings are boldly colored and layered: a yellow stuffed bunny wears a teal jacket; the purple-and-black–clad little girl strides in red Converse high-top sneakers over a pea-green lawn. The limited language and solid acrylic paintings work together beautifully to convey emotion. When the little girl realizes that the bear didn’t break her toy on purpose, one word speaks volumes: “Oh.” Her face fills the entire page, her feelings indicated with black dot eyes, a couple of curved lines, and a black dot mouth.
A charmingly loud and lighthearted friendship story. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-28283-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
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