A warm, inclusive take on friendship and conflict resolution.
A child feels left out when her BFF meets someone new.
Sally and Sonia have been friends since they were “smaller than small,” sharing laughter, tears, and, after Sonia’s deafness is discovered, sign language. One day, Sally shares an idea that’s “greater than great”: planting a flower and vegetable garden. Sally and Sonia happily spend sunny days in their garden and rainy days in their clubhouse—until a young boy named Dev and his puppy, Pops, move in next door. Sally likes Dev but finds Pops too exuberant for her liking. So while Sonia spends her time with Dev and Pops, Sally sadly tends the garden and visits the clubhouse alone. One afternoon, Dev accidentally lets go of Pops’ leash, and the dog tramples the garden. Initially, Sally is “madder than mad,” but when she opens up about her loneliness, Sonia explains that Sally is still her best friend, and Dev is lonely after moving away from his own best friend. Dev, who’s learned some signs, apologizes, and Sally and Sonia welcome him and Pops to their clubhouse. The alliterative, rhythmic text makes for an ideal read-aloud, and the gentle resolution encourages communication and empathy. Characters’ matter-of-fact attitude toward Sonia’s deafness is refreshing, and Chen, herself deaf, clearly depicts their American Sign Language signs in sunny, expressive cartoon illustrations. Sonia has light skin; Sally and Dev have brown skin and curly hair.
A warm, inclusive take on friendship and conflict resolution. (glossary of signs, author’s and illustrator’s notes, resources) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9781665941693
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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