Lackluster text but worth a look for the marvelous art.
In this picture-book adaptation of a Swiss German song written by the author, a caterpillar undergoes a spectacular transformation while a neighboring worm scoffs.
“I’m chryzzaling,” Caterpillar tells Worm in an attempt to convey its feeling of bewildered excitement. “Very soon I could be changing everything.” The worm and its wife chuckle over the caterpillar’s claim that it might even fly. They miss the main event—the caterpillar’s exit from the chrysalis and its first flight as a butterfly—but our protagonist beams with pride all the same. Though the moral is sound, the awkward phrasing will leave listeners uninspired: “Those who chryzzle and who trust their deepest feelings / Stand a flying chance of reaching anywhere.” Bond’s sentimental words make for a clunky read-aloud (“Listen, life is full of secrets and surprises. / There’s far more to see than where we sit and crawl. / So I’m chryzzaling and wonder where we’re heading, / And what is the deeper meaning of it all”). Völk’s delicately drawn and colored illustrations, however, are delightful. Whimsical faces on both Caterpillar and Worm (who sports a pair of spectacles), trees that seem to flutter in the wind, and small moments like people buying balloons on the town square convey joy as the perspective moves from the level of grass and flower stalks to the sky. Human characters have skin the color of the page.
Lackluster text but worth a look for the marvelous art. (QR code for the titular song) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 11, 2025
ISBN: 9780735845596
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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