A clever and endearing story, expertly illustrated, with an affirming message.
In this Canadian picture book, Zora, a small brown dog, is determined to fly.
When Zora stares at the squirrel that yaks at her from the fence and chases it, she isn’t fast enough to catch it. Again. But she knows that if only she could fly, she would succeed. Even as Tully, a cat lounging on a tree branch, informs Zora quellingly that “dogs can’t fly,” Zora, nonetheless, tries. She leaps—and falls; jumps on a teeter-totter vacated by two children—and falls. She splays on the ground, imitating the shadow of an airplane flying overhead, whispering, “Up! Up! Up!!” but she still doesn’t fly. Disheartened, Zora heads off to nap when she is interrupted by a cry for help and sees Tully, hanging perilously from the branch (illustratively shown in an impressive angled overhead view that visually emphasizes the height and the danger). “Zora’s everything tingled!” She leaps high for Tully, catching her. Stinson’s story has endearing, unexpected details and is a heartwarming affirmation of the powers of aspiration and determination. Scott’s images show a sophisticated color sense that creates depth and atmosphere with their push/pull of warms and cools, and his portrayal of Zora gives her a remarkable degree of movement and expression. His varied viewer perspectives, too, are noteworthy.
A clever and endearing story, expertly illustrated, with an affirming message. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: March 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77321-280-7
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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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