An enticing cautionary tale about the dangers of putting on airs.
Is it better to be a pompous prince or a humble pig?
Pig finds a crown in the grass, declares himself a prince, and sets off on an adventure, much to the irritation of his friends. In Pig’s vivid imagination, Lizard becomes a dragon that Pig needs to subdue, Squirrel is a princess whom Pig attempts to rescue…with disastrous results, and Donkey becomes Pig’s steed before Pig is unceremoniously bucked off. The porcine prince orders other forest friends to sing, dance, and bow to him; soon, everyone is tired of imperious Pig. But then they hear cries for help. Little Mouse has fallen into the turbulent river, and none of the friends can rescue him. Dramatically leaping from a tree branch and flipping three times in the air before splashing into the river, Pig saves Little Mouse. Because of his bravery, the forest friends are now ready to acknowledge Pig’s royal standing, but Pig comes to his senses and is finally embarrassed by his past arrogant behavior. He is happy to just be Pig, and that makes his friends happy, too. This simple yet fun tale is full of humor. Colorful, detailed illustrations capture the beauty of nature and the friends’ varied emotions as they struggle with Pig’s egotistical demands and rejoice at his reformation. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An enticing cautionary tale about the dangers of putting on airs. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN: 9788419253460
Page Count: 44
Publisher: NubeOcho
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
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
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground.
A little red sleigh has big Christmas dreams.
Although the detailed, full-color art doesn’t anthropomorphize the protagonist (which readers will likely identify as a sled and not a sleigh), a close third-person text affords the object thoughts and feelings while assigning feminine pronouns. “She longed to become Santa’s big red sleigh,” reads an early line establishing the sleigh’s motivation to leave her Christmas-shop home for the North Pole. Other toys discourage her, but she perseveres despite creeping self-doubt. A train and truck help the sleigh along, and when she wishes she were big, fast, and powerful like them, they offer encouragement and counsel patience. When a storm descends after the sleigh strikes out on her own, an unnamed girl playing in the snow brings her to a group of children who all take turns riding the sleigh down a hill. When the girl brings her home, the sleigh is crestfallen she didn’t reach the North Pole. A convoluted happily-ever-after ending shows a note from Santa that thanks the sleigh for giving children joy and invites her to the North Pole next year. “At last she understood what she was meant to do. She would build her life up spreading joy, one child at a time.” Will she leave the girl’s house to be gifted to other children? Will she stay and somehow also reach ever more children? Readers will be left wondering. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 31.8% of actual size.)
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72822-355-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
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