This cute-as-a-button cub has achieved a lot on his way to kindergarten. Not, as the title seems to indicate, on a meandering walk to the schoolyard, but rather over the five years leading up to his exciting entrée. From newborn forward, the snappy, rhyming text extols milestones such as, to start with, burping and crying. But at one year the cub is pulling himself up and trying to eat ants. Later he’s learning to pedal a tricycle, drawing, brushing his own teeth, singing the ABC song and dancing along, buckling his own seat belt and paddling the length of the pool. Careful observers will watch for the cub’s unmentioned mouse pal on every page. The oil pastels give vibrancy and soft lines to the action populated by an array of adorable young animals. The simple buoyancy of the text will help create positive anticipation for starting school. For toddlers, each of the cub’s successes is something to aim for, and older kids can applaud how far they have come themselves. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: April 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-399-24168-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2006
A whimsical, gentle reminder that even the best friendships occasionally wobble, especially if a quirky, but endearing...
A little girl and her rather unusual pal quarrel, but they know just how to make up, too, in this charming paean to friendship.
Jane’s best friend’s a cuddly “monster” named Mizmow, and having a monster as a best friend can be challenging. Mizmow loves climbing trees, while Jane likes keeping her feet securely on the ground. Jane and Mizmow both love the seesaw, though loving it together can be problematic. Jane likes jumping into piles of raked red leaves, and Mizmow loves snacking on them. Jane helps Mizmow shower, and he keeps her feet warm at night. One chilly day, they fight over their favorite knit hat, leaving Mizmow “mad” and Jane “more mad.” Suddenly, they’re not best friends anymore, and doing things alone isn’t much fun. “How can you get your best friend back?” Jane and Mizmow find the perfect solution. Humorous, softly hued illustrations cast Mizmow as a big, brown, fluffy critter sporting rabbitlike ears, chickenlike feet and a crooked, impish grin. Reminiscent of cartoon animation, the visual action progresses in two or four frames per page, with and without text, focusing on Jane and Mizmow cheerfully together, glumly apart and enthusiastically reunited.
A whimsical, gentle reminder that even the best friendships occasionally wobble, especially if a quirky, but endearing monster’s involved . (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-117719-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
It’s certainly accessible for very young children, but it carries an odd message: Should we be friends only with those...
A bear's best friend is his Mommy, until he's old enough to find his own.
When Snowy the polar bear is a cub, he and his Mommy do everything together, playing and fishing and snuggling late at night in their cave. But one day, when he is old enough, Mommy tells Snowy that it's time to find a new friend. He tries a giant sea gull, a seal swimming under the ice and a long line of tottering penguins, none of whom prove to be a good match. The penguins all want to be Snowy's friend and begin a loud squabbling that drives Snowy away. The venerable walrus is almost just right—he lets Snowy slide down his back—but declares himself too old to be any fun for a young bear. Then, unexpectedly, when he's just resting against a snowdrift, Snowy is approached shyly by another young polar bear named Spotty. At the exact same moment, they both ask, "Would you like to be my friend?" And this, of course, is the perfect match. Van Genechten's characters look like stuffed animals, smiling and gentle. He uses backgrounds of baby blue and pink, dotted with flakes of snow. And Snowy is flocked, like wallpaper, for a little extra reader appeal.
It’s certainly accessible for very young children, but it carries an odd message: Should we be friends only with those exactly like us? (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-60537-095-8
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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.
