An appealing story sure to captivate children who appreciate dog “tails.”
A pointed reminder for dog owners.
Dawg’s got a great life—as all “dawgs” deserve—but today, as he waits impatiently to be walked, leash in mouth, tail wagging, no one’s paying attention. Dad’s making pizza for dinner, Mom’s at her computer, Bro’s playing guitar, and Sis is on her phone. Everyone tells Dawg to ask someone else to walk him. Finally, Dawg takes matters into his own paws and takes himself out. Little One, playing with a train set, notices and says, “Dawg gone!” No one hears. Dawg has a blast visiting his favorite areas of the yard, observing neighborhood animals, sniffing wonderful fragrances on the sidewalk, and detecting telltale aromas left behind by other pooches at the telephone pole, fire hydrant, and mailbox. He performs the act he originally went outside for. A fun jaunt in the park with his pals rounds out his walk, but soon he realizes that he’s hungry. At this point, Dawg’s family finally remembers that no one’s walked him, and Little One repeats, “Dawg gone.” This time, everyone hears. Panic-stricken, the family searches the neighborhood, but all ends happily as Dawg returns home to loving embraces and everyone asking, “Who’s feeding Dawg?” (He gets pizza, too.) Kids, particularly dog lovers, will enjoy this very sweet story. The colorful, loosely drawn illustrations depict a warm, light-skinned, realistically busy family. Dawg’s an endearing, large, shaggy pooch with light brown fur.
An appealing story sure to captivate children who appreciate dog “tails.” (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780889957114
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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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