Readers will be tempted to sing along as frog creates the song of the swamp.
What goes into the song of the swamp?
Frog is discouraged. His voice is too quiet, and singing alone is no fun, but he doesn’t feel sorry for himself. Instead, he leaps over lily pads in search of others to join his song. An ensemble cast assembles, and a cumulative refrain builds as a crocodile adds his drumming and humming; mice contribute more vocals, a flute, and a gong; “fish “[add] their voice to the flow”; and long-legged wading birds sing along. But even with all these performers, something is wrong. That’s when the frog sees “a shy little bug / not adding her song to the night” and encourages her to join in. When she does, “she bizzed and she buzzed to the beat of the swamp, / and she lit up the night like a star.” By this time, it’s clear that “everyone knew that the song of the swamp / needed everyone’s voice to sound best.” The story’s message is explicitly stated but feels like a fitting final thought rather than a lesson to be learned. Boldly colored computer-generated collage illustrations and rhythm and repetition that encourage audience participation will make this a storytime and creative dramatics hit.
Readers will be tempted to sing along as frog creates the song of the swamp. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0810-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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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