An inspired tale that puts a clever spin on a well-trod message of friendship and generosity of spirit.
Winning isn’t everything.
Bijan always has to win, even when he’s taking part in activities that don’t have a clear victor, such as drawing pictures of birds, eating vegetables, playing dinosaurs, and brushing his teeth. He also wins in his dreams: He transforms into a scaly green creature and breathes fire at his frightened fellow dragons; later, he dives to the bottom of the ocean—so deep that no one can hear him declare, “I win again!” Back at school the next day, Bijan’s friends, fed up with his competitiveness, refuse to sit with him. Bijan slowly realizes that it’s lonely being a self-proclaimed champion. “More than anything, I want to win at being a friend.” So he treats those around him with kindness, and they welcome Bijan back into the fold. Khorram’s simple, expressive text uses fantastical elements to elevate a familiar story of social-emotional growth to a thoughtful parable that will leave readers mulling what it means to be a true friend. Tran’s wispy digital illustrations convey both whimsy and heart, using a palette of pale greens, pinks, and deep blues along with a variety of perspectives, to dramatic effect. Bijan is light-skinned and dark-haired; his friends represent a diverse range of skin tones and hair colors.
An inspired tale that puts a clever spin on a well-trod message of friendship and generosity of spirit. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780593325308
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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