A well-told story of an act of biblical and historical significance.
A lesson in responsibility and kindness, divinely noted.
Brown-skinned Moses, a shepherd, is reclining against a tree when he sees one of the lambs scamper off. He leaves his dog with the flock and goes off in pursuit, but the lamb is fleet of foot. Moses frets about the wandering lamb but keeps up the search despite the heat. It is a long pursuit through rock and bush and desert, the sound of the lamb’s bleating his only guide. At last, at the bank of a stream, he catches up with the little animal, who is busy drinking, and carries her back to her mother. God has been watching and at this moment determines that Moses is the one “to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.” The author, in a note preceding the story, attributes this tale to the midrash Shemot Rabbah 2:2, a rabbinical commentary on the Book of Exodus. Swirls of browns and blues depict the colors of the vast desert and sky with colorful leaves, bushes, and streams adding to the scenery. Though simple, this one is sure to spark conversation; it can be shared not only in anticipation of or during Passover, but also to open up discussion of duty.
A well-told story of an act of biblical and historical significance. (Religious picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781728445540
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Feb. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
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
Hee haw.
The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
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BOOK REVIEW
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