Once die-hard fans spy this, they’ll make a grab for it.
That irrepressible porker is back.
This time Olivia’s up to espionage, or eavesdropping, or listening in on her parents’ conversation—call it what you will—and misinterprets what she overhears. In typical fashion, Olivia decides she doesn’t like what she’s heard and sets out to “investigate.” This means trying to blend in and play incognito, not an easy task given the piglet’s penchant for standing out. Her teacher’s innocent and well-meant explanation of an ominous-sounding word casually uttered by her dad ups the stakes to something that seems truly dire. When her mom tells her they’re going on a surprise trip, Olivia can’t help but imagine the worst: they’re headed for—oh, no!—an institution where, no doubt, she’ll be locked up for serious misdemeanors. Turns out, the dreaded place is actually New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; Olivia’s going to the ballet. How lovely for Olivia, but it does seem at odds with her mother’s frustration with her daughter’s latest infractions. The story’s thin, but, as usual, this newest installment in the popular series is full of funny bits, while adults’ bewildered, clueless expressions and Olivia’s earnest obliviousness in the charcoal-and-gouache illustrations are priceless. References to Julia Child and ballet terms will be above most kids’ heads, and a gratuitous accidental visit to the stage instead of the restroom feels tacked-on.
Once die-hard fans spy this, they’ll make a grab for it. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5795-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
IN THE NEWS
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
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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