Like a stinky dog-lick on the nose, this simply silly picture book will bring smiles to little faces.
Loula fears Mama might have had it with their family's drooling, wagging, lunging, gargantuan Great Dane, Mister.
The little girl decides to refine the hound's etiquette through a series of lessons, all of which go terribly (and predictably) awry. Draped in Papa's necktie, Mister smashes plates, teacups, and saucers, splashes merrily in a burbling park fountain, and dashes through a museum chasing a squirrel—spewing spittle the whole time. Discouraged, Loula heads home, her longtime chauffeur and friend, Gilbert, at her side. Ink-and-watercolor illustrations convey the clumsy, constant movement of a loping, energetic dog. Action and motion stream through breezy, loose artwork: leashes stretch, tails and whiskers quiver, leaves flutter, statues...fall! While Mister's bulging eyes and slapstick stances yield easy laughs, Villeneuve's lines (subtly gestural and with varied weights and thicknesses) as well as her strategic placement of vignettes across stark, white spreads account for much of this book's comedic success. Small readers will also find the aid and collegiality Gilbert offers little Loula immensely pleasing, as few adults work happily alongside children as unmitigated equals. But Mama and readers both know that Mister is no monster, and the real focus of her frustration, revealed on the final page, serves up a satisfying finishing laugh.
Like a stinky dog-lick on the nose, this simply silly picture book will bring smiles to little faces. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-77138-326-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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