A tale sure to find a home among myriad types of families.
“Family is what you make it.” Indeed.
An at-first-unknown narrator tells readers all the ways that their cat and their dad are alike: They look alike; they both love milk and sardines and belly rubs; they incorporate stretches and naps into their daily routines; etc. Lam is tricky in doling out clues as to the narrator’s identity. A female character does appear about halfway through, but a few pages later she is identified: “Mom is always picking up after my dad. And my cat.” (A dirty sock and a dead mouse, respectively.) It’s not until the final three spreads that the narrator is finally revealed, and readers will immediately flip back to the beginning to try to spy this character in the illustrations (in the book’s 15 spreads, eight include the narrator, who may have gone completely unnoticed in most of them). Lam’s trademark paper-collage artwork has a 1970s aesthetic: Dad sports flowered shirts with patterned collars, aviator-style glasses, big hair, and, while stretching, head- and wristbands. Mostly white backgrounds keep the focus on the colors, patterns, and characters. Both have light skin; Dad has sandy-colored hair, and Mom wears her straight black hair in a ponytail.
A tale sure to find a home among myriad types of families. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: April 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77147-351-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: March 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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