Fuzzy fare for budding puzzle lovers who aren’t quite up to finding Waldo or tracing Roxie Munro’s Mazescapes (2001).
After counting to 10, Pip the mouse sets out to find his friends—all 100 of them.
The hunt isn’t as exhausting as it might seem, as after the initial teeming crowd scene, Pip’s furry little quarries are evenly grouped in sets of 10 and hidden in 10 locales. Also, systematic searching is a snap, as the double-page–spread cutaway hiding places—ranging from a circus caravan and a spaceship to a “mouse blimp” and a surf shack—are for the most part subdivided into two to four distinct floors and a few moderately furnished rooms with only minimal quantities of distracting bric-a-brac. Just to add dashes of challenge, along with the mouse-spotting game, Vanderheyden invites viewers to find the odd toilet, steam bath, or unspecified number of Martians, birds, or teacups in each scene. At the end, the hide-and-seekers all gather for a celebratory round of ice cream and cotton candy: “Shall we play again? Who wants to count to ten?” A rug-strewn “Casbah” with cobras in baskets and a “mouse igloo” with some scattered penguin neighbors are regrettably exoticized elements. Low contrast between black type and saturated blue backgrounds may challenge some readers.
Fuzzy fare for budding puzzle lovers who aren’t quite up to finding Waldo or tracing Roxie Munro’s Mazescapes (2001). (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-60537-368-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2018
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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