A pleasant but not particularly fresh story that fails to capture the irresistible personality of Plum as established in her...
A female mutt named Plum makes friends with a neighbor cat in this sequel to Love Is My Favorite Thing (2015).
In the first story, Plum gets into lots of mischief but is still loved by her owners, white adults named Emma and Rupert. The children who live next door, blond, white Sam and Gracie, are Plum’s best friends. In this sequel, the children have a surprise for Plum: their new, male cat named Binky. The wily, white cat tries hard to be friendly to Plum, who resists the feline’s assertive attempts to engage. Binky follows Plum everywhere, copies her actions, and makes himself a general nuisance. The cat proves a real friend when Plum is accidentally locked in a garden shed and Binky summons help, but Plum continues to resist and tries to prevent Binky from coming into his own house in a rainstorm. A too-pat resolution occurs when the humans explain to Plum that they all have enough love for both a cat and a dog, and Plum has an immediate conversion to best-friend status with Binky. Engaging illustrations in watercolor and colored pencil help to mitigate the weak text, using a wide variety of compositions to successfully convey Plum’s trepidation and Binky’s overconfidence, and the extra-large trim size and cheerful palette offer additional visual appeal.
A pleasant but not particularly fresh story that fails to capture the irresistible personality of Plum as established in her first outing. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Nov. 22, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-54666-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2016
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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