An inviting fantasy for fashion-forward beginning readers.
Fae fashionistas strut their stuff.
As it turns out, fairies love couture; a fairy named Lily explains to readers that they sport jewelry and clothes inspired by the natural world. Held in a leafy glade, their annual fashion show offers them the chance to show off their finery. Lily’s human friend, Willow, admires fairy fashion and wishes she could wear some of it. So Lily organizes a makeover, assigning jobs to the other sprites. Jasmine styles Willow’s hair, while Sky makes her a necklace out of flowers. Initially clad in overalls, Willow finishes the story in a long-skirted pale lavender dress. Lily makes Willow a lustrous pair of matching wings and, just before the show starts, adds a sprinkling of fairy dust. Composed of curving lines, Jackson’s swirling, sparkling illustrations play to the most romantic impulses: Twisting vines, tendrils of hair, flower petals, ballerinalike tutus, and shiny fabrics make every page shimmer. The typeface is large, many words are single-syllable, and a sense of pleasant anticipation will carry new readers onward through the brief story. Newcomers and fans of the pair’s other outings, including the picture book Lily’s Dream (2025), will be pleased. Willow and Lily present Black; the fairies vary in skin tone and body type.
An inviting fantasy for fashion-forward beginning readers. (Early reader. 4-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2025
ISBN: 9781665941129
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
A good choice to share with wriggly listeners, who will soon be joining in.
A Halloween book that rides on the rhythms of “Over in the Meadow.”
Although Halloween rhyming counting books abound, this stands out, with a text that begs to be read aloud and cartoony digital illustrations that add goofy appeal. A girl and two boys set off on Halloween night to go trick-or-treating. As the children leave the cozy, warm glow of their street, readers see a haunted house on a hill, with gravestones dotting the front yard. Climbing the twisty path to the dark estate takes time, so the story turns to the antics inside the house. “At the old haunted house in a room with no sun / lived a warty green witch and her wee witch one. ‘SPELL!’ cried the witch. ‘POOF!’ cried the one. / And they both practiced spells in the room with no sun.” The actions of the scary creatures within may seem odd, but the rhyme must go on: Cats scratch, goblins dust, monsters stir, and mummies mix. Eventually the three kids reach the front door and are invited in for stew, cake and brew. At first shocked by the gruesome fare, the children recover quickly and get caught up in partying with the slightly spooky but friendly menagerie.
A good choice to share with wriggly listeners, who will soon be joining in. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4778-4769-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Inspiring, adventurous fun for aspirational kids.
A little girl’s imaginative plan to become an astronaut and be the first to travel to Mars really takes off.
Together with a crew of stuffed animals (owl, rabbit, and teddy bear), Sadie Sprocket does her research, gathers materials to build her spaceship, and, with support from family and friends—and media coverage—embarks on her historic journey. Rhyming quatrains tell the story of how Sadie patiently reads, cooks, and records important data during the 100-day interplanetary journey. And then: “The Earth behind, so far away, / was now a tiny dot. / Then Sadie cried, ‘There’s planet Mars! / It’s smaller than I thought!’ ” After landing and gathering 20 bags of samples, Sadie and crew are stuck in a red sandstorm while trying to take off again. But with Sadie’s determination and can-do spirit, they blast off, safely returning to Earth with future heroic space-exploration ideas in mind. Spiky cartoons transform a child’s playroom into an outer-space venue, complete with twinkling stars and colorful planets. Sadie presents White while her encouraging fans feature more diversity. An addendum includes brief facts about Mars and a handful of women space scientists. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 50% of actual size.)
Inspiring, adventurous fun for aspirational kids. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5420-1803-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
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