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WILD FOR WINNIE

Name: WILD FOR WINNIE
Author: Laura Marx Fitzgerald
ISBN: 978-0-593-11181-9

by Laura Marx Fitzgerald ; illustrated by Jenny Løvlie ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 5, 2022

Caregivers of “antsy” kids will glean some helpful tips, but young readers won’t go wild for this one.

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A new student’s unusual behavior bewilders her classmates.

Winnie, a White redheaded girl, is “no ordinary kid,” opines the narrator, an unnamed and unidentified child in Winnie’s class. She howls “like a hyena” at circle time, kicks “like a kangaroo” at storytime, and chomps “like a piranha” on another student’s arm at lunch. Undaunted, her Black-presenting teacher suggests that “maybe Winnie sees and hears and feels the world differently than most of us” and proposes that everyone give Winnie’s “world” a whirl. In Løvlie’s cheery, colorful, pastel-hued double-page spreads, racially, physically, and ability diverse classmates joyfully join Winnie in activities that regulate her animal-themed antics. If she's “monkeying around” on the furniture, everyone joins her on the jungle gym at recess; when she’s acting “pretty squirrelly,” the other students go “nuts” with her on an indoor toy obstacle course; and so on. Unfortunately, more complex idioms such as “bull in a china shop” may fly over young readers’ heads without further explanation. Gradually, the narrator realizes that Winnie is ordinary after all: “Sometimes we all feel the world differently.” Fitzgerald’s message is well intentioned, but in this plotless story, Winnie feels more like an object lesson than a person, which may alienate readers who experience the world in similar ways. Although Winnie’s behavior is left unexplained, a closing author’s note to caregivers alludes to sensory processing disorder and presents additional activities targeting balance, body awareness, and more.(This book was reviewed digitally.)

Caregivers of “antsy” kids will glean some helpful tips, but young readers won’t go wild for this one. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 5, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-11181-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Dial Books

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

- BOOK REVIEW
THE GALLERY
by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

- BOOK REVIEW
UNDER THE EGG
by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.

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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)