A child-friendly guide to respecting personal space.
What a thrill it is to see you!
Panda is excited to be in the company of friends…perhaps a bit too excited. When the unnamed narrator waves, the cub bounds over and gets uncomfortably close; a zoomed-in view of Panda’s eye fills one spread, while the rest of the exuberant bear’s face fills another. Asked to give the narrator some space, Panda backs off. But when a new friend—a brown dog—appears, Panda quickly forgets the lesson and bear-hugs the nervous-looking pooch. The narrator once more intervenes and offers some guidance. Panda complies and then cheerfully licks the narrator’s face. The narrator gently chastises Panda, who ambles off, saddened, until the narrator coaxes Panda back to have fun in a way that makes everyone comfortable. Using minimal text and peppy colored pencil and digital art set against bright, uncluttered backgrounds, Jennings offers an amusing and creative take on bodily autonomy. Many caregivers and children will recognize these interactions, particularly when the narrator repeats the same point multiple times over the course of the book. It’s clear that Panda is still actively learning this lesson; indeed, the cub may even need a few reminders down the line. Compared with similar titles where the protagonist figures everything out by book’s end, this one takes a refreshingly realistic approach.
A child-friendly guide to respecting personal space. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2025
ISBN: 9780593324783
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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