A simple but discussionworthy “paw-rable” about the value of taking small steps toward the unknown.
A sheltered kitty confronts the outside world.
House cat Olivia is a “fearless explorer,” hunting, traveling to the “top of the world” (really the top of the closet), and more…all from the comfort of her home. The dryly humorous text conveys that Olivia lives a “demanding” existence; the artwork, meanwhile, shows the feline napping and playing with stuffed toys. Olivia’s indoor life is also “filled with danger,” namely, a playful child who likes to grab her tail. When Olivia tumbles out of a window while swatting a fly, her supposed bravery is put to the test. A dog scares her up a tree, and she must take a literal leap of faith to save herself. The story can be used to spur conversations about what constitutes courage and whether leaving one’s comfort zone is worth the risks. Olivia’s creative approach to her seemingly narrow existence might resonate with families who have spent considerable time in pandemic isolation and will help readers understand that introverts and other solitary types can have rich inner worlds. It is unclear if the story’s resolution should encourage readers to step outside of their preferred environments or stick with the familiar. The tempera-and-pastel illustrations, rendered in a flat, naïve art style and filled with clever foreshadowing, might make up for the unresolved existential dilemma. Olivia belongs to a brown-skinned family whose faces remain hidden throughout. (This picture book was reviewed digitally.)
A simple but discussionworthy “paw-rable” about the value of taking small steps toward the unknown. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-79720-442-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
Yes, the Pigeon has to go to school, and so do readers, and this book will surely ease the way.
All the typical worries and excuses kids have about school are filtered through Willems’ hysterical, bus-loving Pigeon.
Told mostly in speech balloons, the bird’s monologue will have kids (and their caregivers) in stitches at Pigeon’s excuses. From already knowing everything (except whatever question readers choose to provide in response to “Go ahead—ask me a question. / Any question!”) to fearing learning too much (“My head might pop off”), Pigeon’s imagination has run wild. Readers familiar with Pigeon will recognize the muted, matte backgrounds that show off the bird’s shenanigans so well. As in previous outings, Willems varies the size of the pigeon on the page to help communicate emotion, the bird teeny small on the double-page spread that illustrates the confession that “I’m… / scared.” And Pigeon’s eight-box rant about all the perils of school (“The unknown stresses me out, dude”) is marvelously followed by the realization (complete with lightbulb thought bubble) that school is the place for students to practice, with experts, all those skills they don’t yet have. But it is the ending that is so Willems, so Pigeon, and so perfect. Pigeon’s last question is “Well, HOW am I supposed to get there, anyway!?!” Readers will readily guess both the answer and Pigeon’s reaction.
Yes, the Pigeon has to go to school, and so do readers, and this book will surely ease the way. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-04645-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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