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THE GREAT BUNK BED BATTLE

Name: THE GREAT BUNK BED BATTLE
Author: Tina Kügler
ISBN: 978-1-338-56167-8

From the Fox Tails series , Vol. 1

by Tina Kügler ; illustrated by Tina Kügler ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020

A rollicking romp for new readers.

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Two fox kits aren’t ready for bed yet in this early reader by a Geisel Medal honoree.

Gray fox Fritz and red fox Franny are enthusiastic playmates: eager to build, to explore—and to avoid bedtime. Their story is divided into three parts, and while each could be read alone, they flow well as one narrative. In “Ready for Bed,” Fritz and Franny rambunctiously prepare for bedtime (“I can brush my teeth faster than you!” Franny boasts as water, toothpaste, and foam spill everywhere) and have a “good-night dance party” despite their caregivers’ best efforts to settle them down. In “My Bunk Is Better,” Fritz and Franny compare and contrast their top and bottom bunk beds while pretending the furniture is a treehouse and cave, a ship, a submarine, and so on. In “Let’s Trade?” the duo swap beds as each tries to prove that their respective bunk is better. Kügler seamlessly weaves repeated words and phrases into the story, so as readers enjoy Fritz and Franny’s antics, they will expand their vocabularies and build reading confidence without feeling as though they are practicing. Kügler expertly uses character-associated colors and a vertical page layout to foster visual literacy and provide visual clues for readers. The majority of the text is in speech balloons.

A rollicking romp for new readers. (Graphic early reader. 4-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-338-56167-8

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
SNAIL AND WORM, OF COURSE
by Tina Kügler ; illustrated by Tina Kügler

- BOOK REVIEW
SNAIL & WORM ALL DAY
by Tina Kügler ; illustrated by Tina Kügler

- BOOK REVIEW
SNAIL AND WORM AGAIN
by Tina Kügler ; illustrated by Tina Kügler

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THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.

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Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.

Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: March 29, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S A BEACH IN MY BEDROOM
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson

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PIRATES DON'T TAKE BATHS

by John Segal and illustrated by John Segal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2011

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Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)