A few sprinkles of fun but unlikely to truly satisfy.
Two friends mend a rift.
Skeers lists the attributes of a good friend as a blissful montage depicts two children taking part in a variety of activities. A friend will agree to wear your unicorn costume with you—even if that means being the back half. A friend will let you take the coveted role of knight when you play make-believe (“even though you were the knight the last time. And the time before that”). And a friend listens attentively when you sing loudly and off-key. As the story unfolds, we get a portrait of a loving yet slightly one-sided friendship. But when one child “accidentally-on-purpose” blows out the candles on the other, put-upon friend’s birthday cake, conflict erupts. How to make things right? A little reflection on the part of the candle-blower and “a whole bottle of glue and three kinds of glitter.” The chastened youngster makes an “I’m sorry” card, and the two hug it out. While sprinkles are mentioned in the title, they don’t figure that prominently in the story. Bright, candy-colored backgrounds set a playful mood, though the round-headed, round-eyed characters have a somewhat generic look. Although many kids will relate to the subject matter (who among us hasn’t clashed with a friend?), the story borders on being didactic; most kids won’t be asking for rereads. One of the children presents Black; the other appears to be white.
A few sprinkles of fun but unlikely to truly satisfy. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9780593705513
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
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
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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