A title comics aficionados will snap up in order to groom the next generation of fandom—even if they don’t have a next...
It’s time for bed, Baby Groot—but Rocket Raccoon thinks otherwise!
Gamora reads a bedtime story to baby Groot in his flowerpot: “Night night, Groot, it’s time for bed. / Time to rest your sleepy head. // The day was long and filled with fun. / Think of all the things you’ve done.” Rocket grabs Groot’s hand and tells him the Earth is in danger. They run past Captain America and the other Avengers to their spaceship and blast off while the bedtime story continues. In action-filled spreads, they attack bad guys with the help of Red Hulk and She Hulk. More bad guys get kicked and beaten when Thor and Black Panther help out. Doctor Strange, Moon Knight, and the Guardians of the Galaxy team join the fight, and the night is won! “The day is now done and super friends say… / Night night, Groot. / You’ve had a wonderful day.” Deneen’s narrative has a consciously genre-appropriate anodyne text, but Rocket’s asides in speech bubbles and Groot’s “I am Groot”s will elicit more giggles and cheers than sleep—not to mention the energetic sound effects. Peopled with the stars of the Marvel universe, each brightly colored double-page spread of bad-guy bopping has at least one cameo or visual joke. All the superheroes and even the villains are just as supercute as baby Groot.
A title comics aficionados will snap up in order to groom the next generation of fandom—even if they don’t have a next generation yet. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4847-3282-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Marvel Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 31, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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