A cool summer beach read for kids.
A shy, spotted canine makes new friends on vacation in this animal-focused picture book.
Drew, a hairless Chinese crested dog, is so nervous about going on a family vacation with his White humans that he hides under the bedsheets. “I’ve got spotty skin and tufts of hair here and there. / What if they laugh? What if they stare?” he laments. But soon, his worries prove unfounded; the pilots on the plane want to meet him, and an alligator, pelican, octopus, and manatee all welcome Drew to Florida. Though the animals are initially curious about Drew’s looks, they all become fast friends. And when it’s time to form a team for a sand castle competition, Drew knows just who to invite. By giving Drew amiable new friends who show both curiosity and respect for his strange looks, Zakzanis sets up a narrative in which the canine can become a leader, urging his pals to do their best. The rhyming couplets, accessible vocabulary words, and clues in Lemaire’s pastel-hued illustrations provide context for unfamiliar terms (lounging, scheme). Though the couplets are occasionally uneven, the rhymes ably guide the rhythm. The kid-friendly, mixed-media images, which combine strong linework and painterly colors, are a huge draw, and lap readers will want to page through the illustrations on their own. With low stakes and friendly faces, this entertaining tale of a dog overcoming his fears about his distinctive looks may provide comfort to shy readers.
A cool summer beach read for kids.Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77785-570-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Yay Drew Publications
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
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A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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