In a sea of hibernation titles, this one’s worth staying awake for.
One little woodland creature fights for his right to party.
If there’s one thing children can identify with, it’s animals uninterested in going to bed. It’s winter, and Badger is full of plans. Unfortunately, it’s hard to put those ideas into practice when everyone else is tucked into bed. After visiting Bear, Marmot, and Nighthawk, Badger attempts to amuse himself, but “clearly being alone isn’t his thing.” It isn’t until the bats tell him to “go and play with the birds” that he realizes that he’s not the only one up this winter. The birds, foxes, rabbits, and more are happy to party and have a wonderful time. And when Badger’s other friends do emerge in the spring, little wonder that it’s Badger’s turn to fall asleep. Backmatter distinguishes between torpor and hibernation, and an additional factual section offers guidance on helping animals during the winter. Meanwhile, front endpapers feature illustrations of “animals that sleep a lot in winter,” while the back endpapers list animals that don’t. The soft ink, gouache, and watercolor renderings of Badger and friends give the story a gentle, identifiable hero for whom bedtime is in no way a necessity. Translated from French, this tale will pair well alongside nonfiction picture books on similar subjects, such as Summertime Sleepers by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah Brannen.
In a sea of hibernation titles, this one’s worth staying awake for. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9780802856272
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2024
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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
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