Witches, pumpkins, and amphibian amusement make for a captivating Halloween tale.
In this picture book, a kindly witch forges an improbable friendship with a warty ingredient for her Halloween brew.
Little Greenie Curlytoe isn’t like the other witches in the forest. Every fall, when the coven practices magic, the green-skinned witch heads to the pumpkin patches to find gourds to decorate her shack. But she still wishes to lead the others in their midnight flight on Halloween, an award reserved for the maker of the best witch’s brew. As the others seek out herbs and spices, Greenie hunts the one ingredient sure to win her the prize—Harlow, “the ugliest and fattest toad around.” But the brown toad with “juicy warts” is as fast as he is fat and excellent at hiding. As they shout taunting rhymes at each other, an unexpected kinship develops. Wulff’s tale of an unlikely friendship mixes simple prose with lyrical verses between Greenie and Harlow, their catchy, sing-song exchanges made to be read aloud. Stone’s illustrations make the pimply, pointy-eared witches and warty toad an adorable version of gross. Fly tacos are joined by slumbering bats in nightcaps and Greenie’s charming, pumpkin-adorned dress, all in soft yet vibrant fall colors. Though never scary or spooky, these touches ensure this volume will join others on bedsides for the Halloween season. During Harlow’s game of hide-and-seek with Greenie, the book encourages readers to find the pages that show the toad, adding another level of engagement with Stone’s autumnal artwork.
Witches, pumpkins, and amphibian amusement make for a captivating Halloween tale.Pub Date: May 31, 2023
ISBN: 979-8988039303
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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