An effective boost of self-confidence for little ones.
It’s more than luck that wins the day.
Layla the ladybug considers herself to be very lucky, as most ladybugs are known to be. She has a lucky object for every occasion—she gives credit to her lucky pencil for her excellent spelling grades and to her lucky watering can for her super-tall flowers. So, with the “Great Garden Cake Bake” coming up, Layla knows just what to do. She relies on her lucky cup and lucky spoon to measure and stir the ingredients, baking it all “for three hours (Layla’s lucky number).” The result is a burned mess. Maybe she’s not so lucky after all. Forlorn, she follows a delicious smell to her friends’ lovely baked creations. They remind her that studying earned her good grades, and daily care made her flowers grow. “Your achievements come from you!” her friends proclaim. Layla forgoes her lucky charms and, with some guidance, makes a delicious cake. Key words that support the book’s lesson appear repeatedly in bold within the modest text, making the moral clear. Minimal art gets its job done effectively. Predominant visual symmetry throughout (the characters almost always face forward) makes for easy sight recognition for young readers. The large-eyed insects composed of simple shapes appear friendly, especially with the cheerful, bright colors of the garden.
An effective boost of self-confidence for little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4338-3238-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
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
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