Gently reassuring, if a bit implausible.
A young boy learns that quiet isn’t always better.
Orson loves books and calm, tranquil places. The library used to be a great spot to sit and read, but when it reopens after renovations, everything is different. Now the librarian no longer admonishes the kids for reading aloud, laughing, and talking. So Orson takes matters into his own hands—and then rejuvenates the library when his shushing ultimately makes it sad and silent. The narrative is entertaining, though somewhat unrealistic. The library may have undergone a cosmetic renovation, but it seems unlikely that the ambience and the librarian’s attitude would change all at once—or that the other kids would so readily listen to Orson. Most young patrons have grown up with relatively bustling library spaces; the narrative feels as though it’s written from the perspective of an adult processing broader, more long-term changes in library culture. Still, it’s a sweet tale that emphasizes the value of open-mindedness and community and might make a suitable teaching tool for children struggling to accept new situations. Sisson’s art is delightfully cute and expressive, practically telling the story without the need for words. Orson is brown-skinned (one of his parents is darker-skinned than he is, while the other is pale-skinned), and the supporting cast is racially diverse and includes a child who uses a wheelchair.
Gently reassuring, if a bit implausible. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781662602085
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Astra Young Readers
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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