Bound to be a roaring success at storytime.
A young tiger loves everything about books…except reading them.
The King tells his loyal subjects Elephant, Boar, and Monkey that it’s Book Day: “Prepare to be dazzled by all the marvelous things I can do with my books.” The other animals observe as the King builds book towers, creates “a mighty bookquake,” and eats off a “book tray.” Boar vainly attempts to show the King what books are really for but is admonished for interrupting and flees in terror. Later, the King “tidies up” by dumping his books into the moat. Unamused, the moat monster throws them back, leading the King to conclude that his realm is under siege. Back at the castle, the King’s subjects finally reveal the true purpose of books and show him a guide with tips for vanquishing moat monsters. The King wonders why no one’s told him about the importance of reading. (“We tried.” “We really did.”) Apologizing, he suggests that they all read together—which they do, happily (the moat monster included). Some kids may wonder why the King never attempted to read these stories, since he evidently knows how; still, it’s a small point. The King’s dialogue is styled in bold print, suggesting his status and loud voice, both contrasting with his diminutive stature. With his adorably oversize head, the King is clearly a tiger cub—but one who oozes confidence and moxie. Perry’s colorful, crisp illustrations infuse the King’s wonderfully explosive tantrums with drama.
Bound to be a roaring success at storytime. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781250330123
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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