Another imaginative delight…what will this duo dream up next? (Picture book. 3-7)
The exuberant duo from Higher! Higher! (2009) is back in Patricelli’s latest, this time imagining all the animals dad could be as his daughter rides on his back.
While her younger brother gets pushed on a swing in the background (yelling, “Higher, higher!” of course), the lively girl demands a ride of her dad. Climbing on his back and taking his necktie in her hands like reins, she demands that he go “Faster! Faster!” until suddenly it is no longer her father she is riding. He becomes first a dog, then a rabbit, an ostrich, a horse, a cheetah, a hawk, a dolphin and a sea turtle—all of which sport Dad’s purple polka-dot tie. Each spread gives a glimpse of the next animal Dad will become, as well as a look back at the exhausted animal he was on the previous page. Motion streaks and clouds of dust give readers clues as to just how fast Dad is… until, as a sea turtle, he finally runs out of steam, and the picture changes back to a young girl atop her tired and sprawled-out father. She gently reassures him, “You’re fast, Daddy!” as they head off for (one hopes) further imaginative play. Patricelli’s acrylics combine bright colors with minimalist details to capture the joy of the young girl and the closeness of their father-daughter bond.
Another imaginative delight…what will this duo dream up next? (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5473-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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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