Sweetly goofy.
The Wakey Bird is one of many unusual creatures in a rather amazing jungle.
As the name implies, these birds have difficulty falling asleep. They can’t get comfortable, they itch, their minds race with scattered thoughts, and every noise startles them. Fortunately there are creatures in this jungle whose main purpose is to help Wakey Birds sleep. The bee-like Soothing Shushers and the froglike Go-To-Sleep Leapers succeed with most of the Wakey Birds, but the littlest one poses a greater problem. Bored and lonely, she wakes the others, and they have so much noisy fun that they awaken Shrieking Monkey, whose deafening screams add to the cacophony and disturb the Dreaded Jungle Beast. Maybe Littlest Wakey Bird will become his snack! How the clever Beast solves the problem is fun for all little ones who love a good bedtime story. Frost tells the tale with joy and verve along with some grunts, sighs, peeps, yawns, and just the right amount of that uh-oh feeling when Wakey Bird cannot be quiet. The very colorful Wakey Birds are all big, expressive eyes, slightly reminiscent of Mo Willems’ pigeon and duckling. The night sky is royal blue, purple, and black, but there is never a lack of brightness or clarity, with stars and a full moon to light the action. A few well-placed backgrounds in shocking pink and bright yellow highlight the noisiest events, with onomatopoeic sounds filling many pages in block capitals. Little readers and their grown-ups might find a few cautionary hints regarding reluctant bedtimes.
Sweetly goofy. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: Jan. 12, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1546-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2020
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
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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