A book that will both get kids outside and give them the words to describe what they find.
A grandpa and a grandchild explore the many textures found outdoors.
The short rhyming verses, written from the grandfather’s perspective, largely stick to mentions of what the two see and feel on their autumn walk. Meanwhile, Hokkanen’s illustrations tell a larger tale about a child who’s sullen at being pulled away from a video game but gradually warms up to the wonders of nature exploration and Grandfather’s irrepressible enthusiasm and hijinks. Thistle weeds are “fuzzy and spiked”; long-stemmed reeds are “feathered and fluffy.” The two also encounter oozy mud, wet stones in the creek, spongy moss, gnarled roots, and sticky frog toes. When the youngster trips and falls over a log and “day fades to night,” the textures turn toward ones that reflect the tender multigenerational relationship: Grandfather’s woolen cap, his “wrinkly and warm” hand, and his “scratchy and dry” chin as he tucks his little one into bed. Backmatter provides two activity ideas, a basic summary of the five senses (“You taste only with your tongue”), and a safety note. The bright fall colors will draw listeners in, but it’s the grandparent-grandchild bond that’s the true star. This grandpa allows the child time to dilly-dally, observe, and just be out in nature. The two share the same light skin and brown hair.
A book that will both get kids outside and give them the words to describe what they find. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9780823456406
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.
A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.
A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.
Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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