A bright-eyed paleontological tale diminished somewhat by its forced adherence to a rhyme scheme.
In Brys’ debut picture book, a four-year-old boy discovers a new type of dinosaur while fossil hunting with his dad.
“A little boy, his name is Wylie. / He’s seldom sad AND often smiley.” Wylie is a young boy with pale skin and brown hair whose father’s hobby is digging for fossils and other buried treasure. Wylie goes out with his dad one day. While the father methodically investigates a hill, Wylie wanders ahead and comes across a bone. Analysis by professors from Southern Methodist University reveals the bone to be from a hitherto unknown type of dinosaur—a Nodosaur. Wylie makes the news, and is featured in a presentation at the zoo. Brys tells Wylie’s story in rhymed verse across 21 double-spread pages. The use of iambic meter lends the proceedings a child-friendly singsong quality but also a meandering vagueness as redundant phrases are used to conclude the rhymes. (For example: “They wrap in tissue, cloth and plaster, / Bill joins in and is a master.”) Huey’s illustrations are suitably dirty and chaotic, capturing the enthusiasm and investigative spirit that is in evidence throughout. The text, equally wild, could prove a bit too drably colored for younger readers. The absence of any living dinosaurs may disappoint those drawn in by the title; nevertheless, there is much here to stimulate inquisitive young minds.
A bright-eyed paleontological tale diminished somewhat by its forced adherence to a rhyme scheme.Pub Date: July 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781892588753
Page Count: 48
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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