A graceful book that will leave readers crowing.
A clever crow flies through a busy day.
The book opens on a brightening morning sky; observant readers will spot a crow’s nest nestled amid pointillist-inspired foliage. Youngsters travel alongside this magnificent corvid in an adventure told through single, rhyming word exclamations. As the sun rises, the bird sets out (“Crow. Go!”), ascending through clouds and gliding above swaying trees and verdant fields (“Blow. Flow. Grow”). Kamphuis offers a literal bird’s-eye view of the landscape below before Crow spots its quarry, a tempting seed peeking out from a newly planted field (“Sow”). Swooping in, the crow skillfully evades its “foe,” an indignant, pale-skinned farmer. With hazy dusk falling, the crow retreats with its prize, where—“Oh!”—a nest full of hungry young chicks awaits! While this one-word-per-page format could feel gimmicky, the scant but cohesive story that results is proof that simplicity and a willingness to fully commit to an idea can create a startlingly rich tale. Sumptuous illustrations that seem to glow provide a maximalist counterpoint to the concise narrative. The digitally created visuals have a folk-art vibe, with an unexpected intertwining of bold graphic shapes and swirling, fluid lines. Spiraling plowed fields and forests composed of delicate dots delight the eye. Conversely, the contoured crow, resplendent in sooty feathers and emotive, pointy beak, feels appropriately conspicuous on the double-page spreads.
A graceful book that will leave readers crowing. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9798217024605
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: today
BOOK REVIEW
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An earnest graduation gift: sweet for lifelong fans, cheerfully encouraging for striving, future graduates.
Success comes at last for the bright-eyed Pigeon.
A clever, tongue-in-cheek ersatz colophon reveals that this graduate has been awarded a “Master of Ornery-thology, Bachelor of Arts of Persuasion with a Minor in Major Freak-outs (summa cum loudly).” Fans will be glad that the Pigeon’s tireless, abundant optimism is finally being ceremoniously recognized. On the cover, the Pigeon wears a mortarboard at a jaunty angle, commenting, “I have the hat!” Of course, dressing the part is essential. But also, “I did the work. I paid attention to the little details. I took some BIG steps.” The Pigeon encountered obstacles (not shown, but many memorable ones will come to mind for the Pigeon's followers). And the Pigeon is plagued by worries familiar to many students who are about to graduate: “WHAT WILL HAPPEN THEN?!? What will I do? Who will I be?” The Pigeon appears in every frame, in close-ups and in poses variously thoughtful, confident, or slightly distressed. Our hero’s simple big eyes and wings are, as ever, remarkably expressive. “Oop!” In one scene, while walking off the dais, diploma in wing, the Pigeon comes to what seems like the edge of a chasm. At last, our hero takes flight with other graduates. Willems' popular characters Gerald and Piggie are there to look on admiringly.
An earnest graduation gift: sweet for lifelong fans, cheerfully encouraging for striving, future graduates. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781454960430
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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