by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 7, 2023
Sure to help young readers recognize—and reconcile with—their own green-eyed monsters.
Milo grapples with jealousy when a newcomer arrives.
Milo and his best friend, Jay, live next door to each other and are inseparable. But when Suzi moves in across the street, everything changes. Jay and Suzi are always laughing (loudly) together or playing, and Milo feels left out. The “squirmy feeling” inside him suddenly grows into a monster. Not only “a green-eyed monster,” but a bright green spiky splotch that radiates frustration with vectors and stars shooting out. The monster sticks with Milo, validating his anxieties (“IT’S NOT FAIR!” “Jay is YOUR friend, not Suzi’s!”) and encouraging irrational thoughts (“the monster hissed that they were having more fun without him”). Milo’s eyebrows furrow, and his hands clench; he’s the picture of anger and dejection. All of the color drains from his surroundings, the green of the monster popping against the gray setting. Luckily, Suzi breaks the monster’s hold by asking questions, highlighting the importance of communication. Percival’s over-the-top visuals will resonate with young readers, many of whom have likely been in Milo’s shoes and will appreciate seeing someone else conquer their green-eyed monster. Coping methods for when friendships feel a bit “wobbly” are appended in a letter from the author. Milo has slightly tanned skin, while Jay is brown-skinned, and Suzi is pale-skinned with bright red hair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sure to help young readers recognize—and reconcile with—their own green-eyed monsters. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1097-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
More by Tom Percival
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2022
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Christina Geist
BOOK REVIEW
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
BOOK REVIEW
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2024
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Sarah Weeks ; illustrated by Alex Willmore
by Laura Driscoll ; illustrated by Catalina Echeverri
More by Jory John
BOOK REVIEW
by Jory John ; illustrated by Olivier Tallec
BOOK REVIEW
by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald
BOOK REVIEW
by Jory John ; illustrated by Erin Kraan
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.