Sweet and reassuring for little moles—and humans too.
Hope can be found—if you know how and where to look.
In their dark underground burrow Little Mole tells Mama he’s sad. After she suggests he needs to look for hope, they begin a paw-in-paw exploration. Mama explains hope sometimes hides but waits to be found. As proof, she points to a seemingly lifeless bulb hanging at the burrow’s exit. Mama says the bulb’s not dead but will, upon feeling the sun’s rays, soon blossom into a daffodil. When Little Mole envisions this, Mama declares, “That is hope.” As the journey continues, Mama shows her little one other nascent signs of good things to come—bare trees and a chrysalis. Little Mole sees only dead objects. Still, Mama reminds him that each will soon emerge into glorious life, encouraging him to imagine the lovely transformations. Home again, Little Mole announces he understands. This gentle, comforting tale empowers kids to discover light in darkness on their own or with assistance from a warm, guiding hand. In support of this, a discussion guide for caregivers at the end provides simple facts about moles plus discussion questions and useful, empathetic tips to help a sad child find hope. The grainy illustrations add texture to the expressive moles, their cozy burrow, and their natural surroundings. The moles are as fuzzily warm as their relationship.
Sweet and reassuring for little moles—and humans too. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5064-4874-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Safe to creep on by.
Carle’s famous caterpillar expresses its love.
In three sentences that stretch out over most of the book’s 32 pages, the (here, at least) not-so-ravenous larva first describes the object of its love, then describes how that loved one makes it feel before concluding, “That’s why… / I[heart]U.” There is little original in either visual or textual content, much of it mined from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. “You are… / …so sweet,” proclaims the caterpillar as it crawls through the hole it’s munched in a strawberry; “…the cherry on my cake,” it says as it perches on the familiar square of chocolate cake; “…the apple of my eye,” it announces as it emerges from an apple. Images familiar from other works join the smiling sun that shone down on the caterpillar as it delivers assurances that “you make… / …the sun shine brighter / …the stars sparkle,” and so on. The book is small, only 7 inches high and 5 ¾ inches across when closed—probably not coincidentally about the size of a greeting card. While generations of children have grown up with the ravenous caterpillar, this collection of Carle imagery and platitudinous sentiment has little of his classic’s charm. The melding of Carle’s caterpillar with Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE on the book’s cover, alas, draws further attention to its derivative nature.
Safe to creep on by. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-448-48932-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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