While not as original as Mo Willems’ The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? (2012) or as much fun as Ryan Heshka’s Welcome to Monster...
Monsters are mighty, but even they can be tamed by one powerful word: please.
Wally lives in a small, perfectly ordinary town until monsters invade. They make poor neighbors. As depicted in digital, TV-cartoonish, neon-colored art, they come in many hues, shapes, and sizes; some have claws and others tentacles, and the number of eyes varies. Among them are the fairly traditional zombies, werewolves, and vampires. The thing they have in common: they wreak havoc, tearing up bushes and lampposts, shaking cars, stinking, and scaring children. Wally talks to them—unfortunately readers have no idea what he says and must conclude that he is asking them to desist. He also tries scaring them off with his little sister's screams and even attempts bribery with treats. Nothing works until Wally, in desperation, shouts, "Will you PLEASE stop breaking all our stuff?" Adults may wonder if shouting is really all that polite, but no matter how it is said, hearing the word "please" works for the monsters: "Soon all the monsters were on their best behavior." Vidal goes to town with the monsters, particularly the ones with tentacles, situating them in as wholesome a small town as can be imagined; though Wally and his sister are Caucasian, many of the town’s other residents exhibit a pleasing diversity.
While not as original as Mo Willems’ The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? (2012) or as much fun as Ryan Heshka’s Welcome to Monster Town (2010), this should win some fans. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4549-1103-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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
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