Despite potentially appealing art and a worthwhile anti-bullying theme, friendship and coming-of-age stories are better done...
At first this looks like one of those stories where the scary beast really isn’t, but it turns out the creature aptly named Spiky really is as bad as he looks.
Brown, spiny Spiky is so ugly he’s almost cute, with his googly eyes, exaggeratedly pursed lips, and absurdly skinny arms and hands. Some of the stuff he does doesn’t really seem so bad, like sticking his tongue out at trees, but some of it really is, such as pulling wings off butterflies, which jars readers out of initial levity. In a rather strange turn of events, his spikes fall off and he finds himself smooth, pink, and defenseless. There’s no reason stated for this or for how or why his spikes regrow, but during his time without them, he must learn how to get along with other creatures. Once his spikes regrow, he’s confused about how to act but ends up remaining his nicer self. Details in the digitally rendered art add amusement; from the fact that his houseplants are all cactuses to the mice—or perhaps tiny, frowning hedgehogs—running around his house also being spiky. Unfortunately, Spiky is bad and mean at first when he’s brown; he’s not mean or threatening when his skin is pink, which delivers a distressing, disturbing subtext.
Despite potentially appealing art and a worthwhile anti-bullying theme, friendship and coming-of-age stories are better done elsewhere. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5420-4043-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Amazon Crossing Kids
Review Posted Online: March 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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