A clever story somewhat brought down by Olive’s mismatched ages between text and illustrations.
A hound dog named George helps the new owners of a farm as they adjust to life in the country.
When Farmer Fritz retires and moves away, his dog is left behind to help the new owners when they arrive from the city. The Gladstone family of four includes the parents and two children, a boy named Owen and his sister, Olive. Owen appears to be about 8 or 9, and Olive looks 3 or 4 She is described in the text as Owen’s “baby sister,” who is just saying her first word, but those indications do not match her age as shown in the illustrations. Farmer Fritz is white; the Gladstones all have dark hair and pale skin. George assists the new owners with tractor maintenance and herding cows, but he becomes a hero when he uses his scent-tracking ability to find the missing Olive, off having a tea party with a chicken. George eventually gets the farm running smoothly and finds his true calling watching over Olive. A clever subplot shows the “wily cows” engaging in various escapades to get out into the cornfields for a feast. Humorous illustrations include lots of funny details and action as well as an appealing personality for lovable George.
A clever story somewhat brought down by Olive’s mismatched ages between text and illustrations. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 20, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5039-4176-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2018
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
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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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