Delightful—especially appealing for young readers who have or wish for a puppy.
A lyrical exploration of how wolves evolved into dogs.
Thousands of years ago, humans and wolves competed for prey, but gradually some wolves evolved to become the companions of humans. This picture book uses a simple repeating narrative theme to effectively present this evolution. A Stone Age girl meets a wolf pup, and they become friends, but the pup stays with its wolf family as it grows because “everyone knew girls and wolves could not be friends.” Moving forward “years and years” ahead, a boy, now living in a hut of “branches and hides” befriends a wolf pup. Their friendship is closer, but still they separate as they grow. This scenario is repeated twice more, each scenario advancing the evolutionary time frame while cleverly underscoring the enduring constancy of the child-puppy attraction—an attraction that is delightfully played out in the story’s conclusion as well as the wonderful endpapers. The colorful, uncomplicated illustrations follow a pattern in their design that echoes the comfortable rhythm of the narrative—but these are no stodgy presentations. The confident use of light as both definitive highlights and atmosphere gives them a bright, clear, and uplifting buoyancy. A more detailed explanation of the science and history of the wolf-to-dog evolution and a bibliography are contained in the backmatter. All human characters are illustrated with light brown skin and black hair. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.5-by-19.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 33% of actual size.)
Delightful—especially appealing for young readers who have or wish for a puppy. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-374-31343-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties.
What is being a Swiftie all about? Finding joy in the things you love!
For Taylor Swift and her fans, love comes from baking tasty desserts, snuggling with pets, enjoying fireworks with friends, and attending concerts. Vibrant illustrations that evoke bright pop music are scattered with references to Taylor’s life, such as a red sports jersey (a nod to her high-profile relationship with a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end) or a stack of friendship bracelets (which devotees know are commonly made by hand and traded at Swift’s concerts). Without this prior knowledge of Swift lore, this peppy picture book may feel like a somewhat superficial, though positive, list of ways to find happiness; some readers may wish the author had included messages about acceptance and self-love, commonly found in Swift’s lyrics. Still, the intended audience will welcome it as a joyful love letter to her fans. Pops of color splash across scenes of Taylor and a racially diverse set of friends doing their favorite things atop a stark white background. The star’s recognizable fashion style and facial features are spot-on, while most other featured characters feel more generic.
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665973519
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
A boon for beaver storytimes or young naturalists living near beaver streams.
Readers learn about a keystone species and the habitat they create.
In a “House That Jack Built” style (though minus the cumulative repetition), Sonenshine introduces children to beavers. Beginning with a beaver who’s just gnawed down a willow near their lodge, the author moves on to the dam that blocks the stream and protects their domed home and then to the yearlings that are working to repair it with sticks and mud. Muskrats and a musk turtle take advantage of the safety of the beavers’ lodge, while Coyote tries (and fails) to breach it. Then the book turns to other animals that enjoy the benefits of the pond the beavers have created: goose, ducklings, heron, moose. While the beavers aren’t in all these illustrations, evidence of them is. And then suddenly a flood takes out both the dam and the beavers’ lodge. So, the beavers move upstream to find a new spot to dam and build again, coming full circle back to the beginning of the book. Hunter’s ink-and–colored pencil illustrations have a scratchy style that is well suited to the beavers’ pelts, their watery surroundings, and the other animals that share their habitat. Careful observers will be well rewarded by the tiny details. Beavers are mostly nocturnal, which isn’t always faithfully depicted by Hunter. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A boon for beaver storytimes or young naturalists living near beaver streams. (beaver facts, glossary, further resources) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1868-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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