A perfectly goofy, inviting testament to the familiar adage about the grass being greener on the other side.
A rat tries to masquerade as a squirrel.
“You know who has it easy?” the rat asks readers. “Squirrels.” Rats get chased with brooms or sprayed with water, and they elicit screams. Squirrels, on the other hand, get free peanuts at the park. After realizing that squirrels and rats aren’t physically all that different, the rat attempts to alter its appearance until it lands on a guise that’s convincing and squirrel-ish enough. Unfortunately, even the dogs are fooled, and they pursue our hero with a resounding and excited “SQUIRREL!” The protagonist narrates in first person, directly addressing readers, which will make little ones feel like the rat’s buddy—a choice that’s sure to have them giggling along. The cartoon illustrations are highly appealing and crucial to the storytelling, as when the rat’s makeshift squirrel tail (fashioned from dry spaghetti noodles) gets wet in the rain. The rat’s whole face is expressive, right down to its ears, and the comic-book feel of some of the layouts conveys action and keeps the pace moving. There’s also plenty for adults to enjoy: After the rat’s broomstick tail becomes a hit, the rodent ponders starting a “Re-Tail Store.” All readers will smile as a squirrel longingly watches the rat easily dodge an eager pup and sighs: “Rats have it sooo easy.”
A perfectly goofy, inviting testament to the familiar adage about the grass being greener on the other side. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2024
ISBN: 9781771475174
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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