A fine addition to storytimes on friendship, breaking norms, and being one’s self.
Can someone be brave, strong, fierce, and love to dance?
Brian the lion loves to dance. Whenever he hears music (or any sound with a beat) he needs to dance, and it makes him feel good. He worries, however, that since lions are meant to be brave, strong, and fierce, no one will respect a dancing lion. Whenever his friends ask about his social calendar, he equivocates about all of the leonine activities he plans to do, but he really spends his free time dancing in secret. One day, he hears from a couple of gazelles that a big dance competition is in the works. Brian thinks he can prove to everyone that dancing lions can still be courageous and powerful. He practices day and night, plagued by fears of what his friends (an ape, a rhino, and an alligator) would think if they knew about his hidden passion. One day, while the other animals are practicing their dance routines, the music moves Brian so much that he can’t help but dance, much to everyone’s astonishment. Embarrassed, he runs home and hides for days. When his friends come to check on him, they each have a surprising confession…and a plan to prove to the jungle at large that fierce lions can be dancers too. Brit Tinn-Disbury’s winsome tale demolishes gender (and species) stereotypes with gentle humor. The digital illustrations of jungle animals, au naturel, are colorful and appealing. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A fine addition to storytimes on friendship, breaking norms, and being one’s self. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68446-424-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Editions
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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