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HOW TO FIND A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER

Name: HOW TO FIND A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER
Author: Donna Boock

by Donna Boock ; illustrated by John Joven ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

A whimsical tale showing children that luck is more about heart than blind chance.

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A treasure-hunting rabbit teaches kids lessons about the power of positivity in Boock’s picture book.

Meet Blarney, a rabbit and self-proclaimed expert on finding clovers. He encourages kids to discover the “magic” within themselves as they search for the elusive four-leaf clover. Silliness and subtle reminders go hand in hand here, while readers are asked to picture, believe, and practice optimism as part of their training. Boock’s use of whimsical but also conversational storytelling (“CLOSER... CLOSER... Okay, okay. Personal space, PLEASE!”) keeps things lighthearted and fun, while also modeling mindfulness techniques and positive thinking. Boys and girls are invited to laugh at Blarney’s goofy antics while learning life lessons they can apply to their daily routines. Parents and teachers will appreciate how the book sneaks in affirmations and social-emotional learning without feeling forced or preachy. Joven’s bright illustrations are packed with expressive faces and little visual jokes, adding warmth and extra visual appeal, especially when Blarney proudly shows off his 371 clover finds. The book encourages readers to set goals (“IMAGINE THAT!”), keep lucky objects, and only look for the things they really want. Its focus on determination, resilience, and celebrating progress makes it perfect for reading aloud or sharing in class. An author’s note at the end reinforces the message that luck—and real accomplishment—starts with believing “I can.”

A whimsical tale showing children that luck is more about heart than blind chance.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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MOO-LA-LA-TI-DA!
by Donna Boock ; illustrated by Nivya Kuriakose

- BOOK REVIEW
KINZIE'S KINVENTIONS
by Donna Boock ; illustrated by Stephanie Hider

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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A BIKE LIKE SERGIO'S

by Maribeth Boelts ; illustrated by Noah Z. Jones ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 4, 2016

Embedded in this heartwarming story of doing the right thing is a deft examination of the pressures of income inequality on...

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Continuing from their acclaimed Those Shoes (2007), Boelts and Jones entwine conversations on money, motives, and morality.

This second collaboration between author and illustrator is set within an urban multicultural streetscape, where brown-skinned protagonist Ruben wishes for a bike like his friend Sergio’s. He wishes, but Ruben knows too well the pressure his family feels to prioritize the essentials. While Sergio buys a pack of football cards from Sonny’s Grocery, Ruben must buy the bread his mom wants. A familiar lady drops what Ruben believes to be a $1 bill, but picking it up, to his shock, he discovers $100! Is this Ruben’s chance to get himself the bike of his dreams? In a fateful twist, Ruben loses track of the C-note and is sent into a panic. After finally finding it nestled deep in a backpack pocket, he comes to a sense of moral clarity: “I remember how it was for me when that money that was hers—then mine—was gone.” When he returns the bill to her, the lady offers Ruben her blessing, leaving him with double-dipped emotions, “happy and mixed up, full and empty.” Readers will be pleased that there’s no reward for Ruben’s choice of integrity beyond the priceless love and warmth of a family’s care and pride.

Embedded in this heartwarming story of doing the right thing is a deft examination of the pressures of income inequality on children. (Picture book. 5-8)