A little too cute for its own good.
Eduardo is not just any sheep—he’s going to be an Elite Sheep, and he can’t wait to graduate from the Fairy-Tale Bureau of Investigations.
When he reports to the home office, he’s excited to learn he’s been assigned his own case—and humble he’s not. The other agents’ offers of assistance are spurned with righteous indignation. “Would someone who needs a partner already get put on a case? Before they even graduate?” Three “perpetrators,” i.e. “bad guys,” are trying to kidnap Mary for a zillion-dollar ransom, and it’s Eduardo’s job to keep her safe—only it’s not as easy as it sounds. Bashed, crashed, and smashed, Eduardo finally yelps for help and realizes that being a team player is what being Elite is all about. Pearson’s tough-guy asides come fast and furious and will be responsible for many an eye-roll whiplash. “This here’s what you call a dossier (pronounced DAH-see-ay for all you civilians).” Morris’ too-cool-for-school secret-agent squirrels, complete with sunglasses, clipboards, and earpieces, document Eduardo’s every blunder from the endpapers to the team sports competitions. Pun-filled scenarios that alternate between the Men in Black–like headquarters and nursery-rhyme citizenry reminiscent of Shrek’s cast provide many visual distractions when the story slows or gets too corny. In true comic-strip fashion, the dialogue is confined to speech bubbles, and cracks about Mary’s little lamb abound. Eduardo’s comeuppance is as subtle as a sledgehammer, as is the author’s call for teamwork.
A little too cute for its own good. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5039-0290-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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