No playing around: Here’s a charming tale that kids will return to again and again.
Two frightened animals deal with loneliness. Can they become friends?
Alfred, a possum, freezes and plays dead whenever he’s nervous. This is problematic, as he’s frequently nervous. Making friends seems unachievable. Then Alfred meets Sofia, an armadillo. She’s also nervous—and when an armadillo feels nervous, it curls into a ball. On their first encounter, each adopts their signature coping strategy. However, realizing they have something in common, the potential pals unfreeze and uncurl and feel better about themselves and each other. Best of all, with time and patience, each comes to understand the other: When Sofia occasionally curls or Alfred freezes, each calmly waits it out, knowing “that when they became themselves again, they would see a friend.” Eventually, the duo’s newfound confidence helps them recognize that some neighbors feel anxious, too, and they reach out with empathetic paws. This is a sweet, reassuring story with a plea for understanding and acceptance of differences that will strike a resonant chord with kids. Alfred, in blue overalls, even when hanging from a branch by his prehensile tail, and Sofia, in her red-flowered hat, even curled up, are the endearing stars of the lively, expressive illustrations. Minimal text on pages and ample white space focus attention on protagonists and action in a woodland setting. Backmatter discusses a variety of animal defense mechanisms.
No playing around: Here’s a charming tale that kids will return to again and again. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-328-78270-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Yes, the Pigeon has to go to school, and so do readers, and this book will surely ease the way.
All the typical worries and excuses kids have about school are filtered through Willems’ hysterical, bus-loving Pigeon.
Told mostly in speech balloons, the bird’s monologue will have kids (and their caregivers) in stitches at Pigeon’s excuses. From already knowing everything (except whatever question readers choose to provide in response to “Go ahead—ask me a question. / Any question!”) to fearing learning too much (“My head might pop off”), Pigeon’s imagination has run wild. Readers familiar with Pigeon will recognize the muted, matte backgrounds that show off the bird’s shenanigans so well. As in previous outings, Willems varies the size of the pigeon on the page to help communicate emotion, the bird teeny small on the double-page spread that illustrates the confession that “I’m… / scared.” And Pigeon’s eight-box rant about all the perils of school (“The unknown stresses me out, dude”) is marvelously followed by the realization (complete with lightbulb thought bubble) that school is the place for students to practice, with experts, all those skills they don’t yet have. But it is the ending that is so Willems, so Pigeon, and so perfect. Pigeon’s last question is “Well, HOW am I supposed to get there, anyway!?!” Readers will readily guess both the answer and Pigeon’s reaction.
Yes, the Pigeon has to go to school, and so do readers, and this book will surely ease the way. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-04645-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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
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