More peas, please.
In his second outing, the Runaway Pea gets swept away on an aqueous adventure.
British funnyman and children’s TV show presenter Poskitt returns with another rollicking escapade for the lively and likable legume. Mealtime is over, the dishes have been washed, and now a lonely pea floats in sudsy water in the kitchen sink. When the plug is pulled, he finds himself sucked down the drain, yet he’s anything but scared. This pea is up for a thrill. Drifting along in the water, he meets a vexed little spider in need of dry land, so he offers himself as a flotation device. They whoosh through underground pipes and shoot out into a small river, where they meet a duck and a fish. The happy-go-lucky pea is eager to befriend them, but the spider is wary, and a good thing too, since he saves the pea from the river creatures’ sinister designs. Finally, with the help of a frog, they hit dry land. The spider hurries away forthwith, and for the first time the pea feels “helpless and lost and alone.” Thankfully, Boris the dog comes by for a drink, and the pea manages to get back home by hitching a ride on the dog’s tail...but the adventure isn’t over yet. The rhyming text is fun to read aloud, and the action is snappy. Willmore’s spirited illustrations just add to the fun. Even pea haters will enjoy this amusing caper. Hopefully, adventure No. 3 (already out in the U.K.) will arrive on our shores soon. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
More peas, please. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: Dec. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-9016-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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