Gentle, humorous, and fun.
Young brothers Finn, Leo, and Ooley set off to find wild animals in the woods near their farmhouse.
The art—involving pencils, watercolor, wax crayons, and white ink—immediately draws readers in. Three Muppet-like boys with dark hair and beige skin comfortably share a pale-green sofa and a stack of books while birds fly above them and ghostly images of nonthreatening wild mammals surround them. Pastels and muted primary colors form a pleasing palette that continues throughout. “Every night, Finn reads a story to his brothers.” The text goes on to say that the boys enjoy stories with adventures and wild animals; middle child Leo suggests that tomorrow, the boys should go exploring for wild animals. By this time, little Ooley is already asleep, setting the stage for more toddler behaviors that will charm young readers. The text is simple, suitable for independent, transitional readers and for reading aloud. As the boys trudge through deep snow—with Ooley in his bear suit always lagging behind—readers, but not the boys, see ghostly animals in and around tree trunks. While the older brothers have a brief discussion that hints of the effects of climate change on animal populations, readers—but not Finn and Leo—will see Ooley happily sliding away down a hill. Other than brief mentions of Grandpa, no adults clutter this tale of siblings who are resourceful, creative, and kind. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Gentle, humorous, and fun. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77306-377-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
SEEN & HEARD
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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