There’s a place for everyone at this dog park, with an inclusive, cheerful atmosphere and a subtle message that everyone can...
Dogs of many sizes and breeds accompany their owners to an extensive dog park for a day of canine cavorting.
The story begins with two dogs, a Chihuahua and a Great Dane that live together, waiting by their door with excitement about going to the park. Other dogs proceed in turn to the park with their owners, a multicultural cast of human characters of different ages and ethnicities. The dog owners include older adults, two women in hijabs, and an interracial pair of dads with their baby. The dogs and their humans play and interact in small groups in vignettes and single-page illustrations, followed by a double-page spread with all the characters in action spread across the wide expanse of the well-appointed park. The dogs and owners then return to their homes for food and naps, during which some of the dogs dream of their time at the park. The minimal text unfolds in rhyming couplets with just a few words per page. The spare text is well-matched with delicate, detailed illustrations in pen and ink with watercolor and colored pencil, with extensive use of white space. This deceptively simple story can be used with a wide range of young readers: toddlers just starting to listen to real stories, preschoolers who like finding tiny details in illustrations, and emergent readers who will be able to handle the short, amusing text.
There’s a place for everyone at this dog park, with an inclusive, cheerful atmosphere and a subtle message that everyone can play together and get along. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3075-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
A reassuring riff on embracing imperfections.
A young rabbit frets about her upcoming violin performance in Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey’s literary debut.
Mei Mei’s dream—“to share her music with the world”—is about to come true. She’s having her very first recital, complete with an orchestra, at the H’Opera House. But the day before the concert, Mei Mei is racked with anxiety. What if she plays a bum note in front of everyone? Sure enough, the worst happens mid-performance: She hits a clinker. But by remembering her mom’s reassuring sentiments from the night before (“Feel the wind…find the notes to make it right”), Mei Mei summons the strength to soldier on, and “wrong notes become right. Dissonance becomes beautiful.” At times, it all feels more like a resilience parable than a story, and the writing can be precious (“The flutter of butterflies wakes Mei Mei from her slumber”). Still, the message is solid, bolstered by O’Hara’s pencil and watercolor illustrations, which are plush-toy soft—fitting, as even prior to this book’s publication, a stuffed Mei Mei has been for sale at Grammy winner Laufey’s website. The tale features an all-animal, all-adorable cast, and endearingly, the art betrays no hint of modern times. A standout image presents Mei Mei onstage, temporarily incapacitated by her mistake and imagining her fellow musicians and their instruments with the color-blasted menace of an expressionist painting.
A reassuring riff on embracing imperfections. (author’s note, glossary) (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
ISBN: 9798217051748
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
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
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