Young readers will definitely call dibs on this one.
Two brothers call dibs, starting a war that escalates to epic proportions.
In Gehl’s simple narration, older brother Julian always calls dibs on everything. Dibs on the plate with the planets on it and on the star-shaped cookies, while his baby brother, Clancy, observes. It is no surprise that Clancy’s first word is “Dibs!” However, Clancy has upped the ante. Instead of calling dibs on mere toys and treats, he goes for their parents’ bed. Mom and Dad relent: “Well, he did call dibs.” Clancy continues, calling dibs on the entire bakery (and stuffing his face), on an airplane, and even on the White House. All of the adults cede to Clancy, even the Secret Service: “Well, he did call dibs.” Julian attempts to explain the rules of dibs and democracy, insisting that “you can’t call dibs on the White House! You need to be elected”—but to no avail. It is not until Clancy calls dibs on NASA and blasts into space on a rocket that Julian reflects on his relationship with his sibling. Gehl provides a steady pace of increasing suspense and silliness, capping Clancy’s demands with a cosmic climax and ending with a punchline. Piwowarski provides realistic characters with bright blended colors and blurred borders that capture the mischievous spirit of the story. Julian, Clancy, and their parents all appear to be Asian. Adults, beware of the dibs wars this title will initiate.
Young readers will definitely call dibs on this one. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5124-6532-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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