Here’s hoping readers feel the same way about school as Stanley does; even if they don’t, though, they are sure to laugh at...
Stanley’s curiosity this time leads him to find out what all the kids do in school every day.
Tired of being left outside all the time, Stanley, Gassy Jack, Alice, and Nutsy (each dog’s personality masterfully captured by Slavin) team up to take on the school. They figure out how to open the huge door, conquer their fears of the school’s great size, and then glory in its delights—the lunches, the kids, running through the hallways and all kinds of places familiar to students everywhere—until they run into a room with no exit and the “toppest dog” of all: the principal (depicted as a no-nonsense black woman). But the fierce-looking administrator just pats the dogs’ heads kindly and then orders them out the door. And the following day, the four friends (and all the dogs they’ve blabbed to) are waiting when the school doors open at the end of the day—because kids are almost as much fun as dogs, and school isn’t far behind. Slavin’s illustrations are a delight, from the dogs’ revels and the kids’ excitement to the postures and facial expressions of the dogs as they await the principal’s judgment. The kids are depicted with a range of skin colors and hair textures, and at least one child is in a wheelchair.
Here’s hoping readers feel the same way about school as Stanley does; even if they don’t, though, they are sure to laugh at the dogs’ adventures. Where will they end up next? (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-77138-096-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with...
Reynolds and Brown have crafted a Halloween tale that balances a really spooky premise with the hilarity that accompanies any mention of underwear.
Jasper Rabbit needs new underwear. Plain White satisfies him until he spies them: “Creepy underwear! So creepy! So comfy! They were glorious.” The underwear of his dreams is a pair of radioactive-green briefs with a Frankenstein face on the front, the green color standing out all the more due to Brown’s choice to do the entire book in grayscale save for the underwear’s glowing green…and glow they do, as Jasper soon discovers. Despite his “I’m a big rabbit” assertion, that glow creeps him out, so he stuffs them in the hamper and dons Plain White. In the morning, though, he’s wearing green! He goes to increasing lengths to get rid of the glowing menace, but they don’t stay gone. It’s only when Jasper finally admits to himself that maybe he’s not such a big rabbit after all that he thinks of a clever solution to his fear of the dark. Brown’s illustrations keep the backgrounds and details simple so readers focus on Jasper’s every emotion, writ large on his expressive face. And careful observers will note that the underwear’s expression also changes, adding a bit more creep to the tale.
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with Dr. Seuss’ tale of animate, empty pants. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0298-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
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