Drops dollops of wisdom into a sure storytime hit.
A sly morality tale featuring a dung beetle and a lot of his favorite stuff.
Usually the beetle is grateful for the sun, the sky, and whatever he receives from the elephants towering high overhead—“SPLAT!” But then a leopard’s remark about a distant farm “with more dung than any beetle could dream of” leads him to a cow barn where the fragrant deposits are so thrillingly massive that he must hire other beetles to help. They gather the dung into a tall, teetering, jealously guarded mountain that’s far too large to roll anywhere. Alas, such untrammeled greed can have but one catastrophic result, but rather than becoming a fecal fatality, the beetle emerges from the climactic monumental dungslide a chastened insect. With a renewed appreciation for what he had, he returns to the river bank to take joy in the warm sun, the boundless forest, and, of course, his fair and sufficient share of SPLAT. Kitted out with wide eyes and, when he’s swimming in the fresh gloop, a winningly goofy grin, the six-legged scarab, roughly the size of the toenails on the enormous elephantine feet behind him, stands in the ground-level scenes with limbs raised joyously to the sky in supplication. Weber brushes atmospheric views of moonlit grasses and cranes flying across a red sun into art that, along with the tale’s terse, formal language, lends a properly folkloric tone to the drollery.
Drops dollops of wisdom into a sure storytime hit. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 14, 2024
ISBN: 9781368100083
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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