A lighthearted look at common fears and the rewards of bravery.
What will it take to get a frightened mole to leave his burrow?
Mole wasn’t always afraid, but when he’s out for a stroll one day, a thunderstorm sends him underground for good. His concerned friends attempt to cajole him out. Squirrel asks if he wants to help her gather nuts, but Mole refuses: “A tree is sure to fall on me and break my paw!” Following Bear’s invitation to swim, Mole envisions an aggressive shark approaching. After each entreaty, the protagonist conveys his intentions to remain safe. Young listeners will soon be chanting along with his response: “I said no! There are too many dangerous things out there. I’m better off staying safe and sound in my burrow.” Ultimately, the friends concoct a scheme. They call for help, describing an attack from “STINKY-FOOTED ALIENS” and “UNIDENTIFIED FLYING BUTTS.” When the cautious Mole crawls out to help, he’s greeted with a birthday party in his honor as he realizes that too much worrying leads to missing out on fun. Children will enjoy the characters’ silly postures, the outlandish scenarios, and the potty humor. The bright palette plays out in a variety of layouts, each used effectively: sequential panels to show the time it takes for Mole to reach home, a cross-section to depict the burrow’s elaborate plumbing, a full-bleed double spread to convey the joyful celebration. The dynamic design tempers the repetitive structure of the narrative, translated from Spanish.
A lighthearted look at common fears and the rewards of bravery. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9788410406506
Page Count: 40
Publisher: NubeOcho
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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