While not as strong as Sue Ganz-Schmitt and Shane Prigmore’s Planet Kindergarten (2014), it’s a great choice for space fans...
A boy anxious about his first day of school settles his nerves with some pretend play.
Freddy is obviously mad about space—his room is blue and decorated with stars and constellations, and a planet mobile hangs above the outer-space quilt on his bed. But he may not be quite ready for school yet: “School is big. It’s far, far away. And it’s full of strangers.” The boy alternately imagines working in space and getting ready for school—his backpack is his jetpack, his shirt is his uniform, his new shoes are moon boots, and that laser he straps on? It looks suspiciously like a banana. But a sudden problem with the ship leaves Freddy floating in space alone, until he lands on a faraway planet and meets an extraterrestrial who tries to take his laser. But then Mom opens the door to find Freddy and his baby sister on the floor playing. Freddy’s finally ready, though: “School’s a big place….But I’ve been to space, and it is gigantic.” Reflecting the space theme, Chou’s digital illustrations employ lots of deep blue, pops of bright color, and angular lines. Freddy, his mom, and his sister have medium-brown skin and dark, straight hair.
While not as strong as Sue Ganz-Schmitt and Shane Prigmore’s Planet Kindergarten (2014), it’s a great choice for space fans and a good way to introduce kids to distraction as a coping technique. (bibliography, further reading) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 12, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5039-5095-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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Only for dedicated fans of the series.
When a kid gets the part of the ninja master in the school play, it finally seems to be the right time to tackle the closet monster.
“I spot my monster right away. / He’s practicing his ROAR. / He almost scares me half to death, / but I won’t be scared anymore!” The monster is a large, fluffy poison-green beast with blue hands and feet and face and a fluffy blue-and-green–striped tail. The kid employs a “bag of tricks” to try to catch the monster: in it are a giant wind-up shark, two cans of silly string, and an elaborate cage-and-robot trap. This last works, but with an unexpected result: the monster looks sad. Turns out he was only scaring the boy to wake him up so they could be friends. The monster greets the boy in the usual monster way: he “rips a massive FART!!” that smells like strawberries and lime, and then they go to the monster’s house to meet his parents and play. The final two spreads show the duo getting ready for bed, which is a rather anticlimactic end to what has otherwise been a rambunctious tale. Elkerton’s bright illustrations have a TV-cartoon aesthetic, and his playful beast is never scary. The narrator is depicted with black eyes and hair and pale skin. Wallace’s limping verses are uninspired at best, and the scansion and meter are frequently off.
Only for dedicated fans of the series. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-4894-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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