“Ele-fans” will remember this funny standout and will return to it again and again.
A witty discourse on fitting in.
Doris is a bright red elephant who’s uncomfortable about standing out and demands that readers not look at her. Self-conscious, she stomps off from the first blank page of the book to the next one, which features colorful birds. They’re the perfect camouflage, and they “hardly notice her.” Do readers? Perhaps Doris is hidden too well. She’s in the throes of an identity crisis: Is she an elephant or “an ele-finch”? When the birds depart, Doris is newly exposed. She marches off to the next page, where she’s lost among wildflowers. Is she an “ele-plant”? When the petals drop off, Doris trudges off into a pool of fish, where she wonders if she’s an “ele-fish." A predator’s arrival sends the smaller fish scurrying, and Doris hilariously scolds the big fish before heading to an entirely red page, where she feels “utterly lost.” Escaping, Doris admits she likes standing out! This humorous, clever U.K. import about overcoming shyness is replete with witty wordplay and Where’s Waldo?–esque playfulness that’s great for honing visual-literacy skills. Kids will enjoy devising riffs on the word elephant and will be inspired to create their own artworks in which they try to “hide” conspicuous Doris. Doris is most endearing, and the dazzling illustrations give off an Elmer the Elephant vibe.
“Ele-fans” will remember this funny standout and will return to it again and again. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781915801289
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boxer Books
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 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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