A wholesome tale that emphasizes camaraderie and finding creative solutions.
In Mitropoulos’ illustrated children’s book, a cast of animal friends use funds from selling food at a farmers’ market to renovate an old playground.
Hardhat-wearing Mouse takes charge of the playground project by arranging everyone into teams and delegating jobs. Kangaroo, Frog, and Kitten are to plant a new flower garden; Bunny, Giraffe and Bear will paint the fence; and Mole, Grasshopper and Cheetah are tasked with cleaning the sandbox. The animals enthusiastically get to work, but unexpected challenges soon arise. When Frog complains that digging holes is hard and messy, Kitten, undaunted, exclaims: “We just need to work harder!” Digging faster, they unfortunately send dirt flying everywhere. Overwhelmed by the leaves and sticks littering the sandbox, the second group also vows to work more intensely. They stack debris into tall piles, but the leaves scatter in a breeze. Meanwhile, Bunny and Giraffe discover that painting a background around Bear’s colorful swirls and stars is challenging. They, too, resolve to work harder, but end up making a big paint-splattered mess. Observing the scene, Mouse realizes the playground is far from finished, and everyone looks tired. “Instead of working harder, let’s try working smarter,” Mouse declares at lunch, and they encourage everyone to find ways to simplify the projects. They do so by using helpful supplies, and by dividing and planning out their work. Early readers will be inspired by the characters’ teamwork and commitment to beautifying an outdoor space. Mitropoulos’ text clearly conveys age-appropriate lessons about setting and completing goals in easy-to-understand language, although some solutions are a bit too convenient. For instance, a notebook to plan a design appears out of nowhere, as does a shed full of supplies. The simple, upbeat story, complemented by Watson’s cute, full-color illustrations of the animals and of sunny scenery, such the bustling market, makes for a fun read-along.
A wholesome tale that emphasizes camaraderie and finding creative solutions.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: July 9, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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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