Upbeat and fun—and just the thing to coax nervous youngsters into embracing all things school.
In this fish-out-of-water story, a housecat attends school for the first time.
Kitty enjoys adhering to a predictable routine: breakfast at seven, supper at four, and nightly dreams of “a so-cozy life exactly the same as his own.” But one day, his family announces that he’ll be accompanying one of the children to kindergarten for show and tell. Some adults may balk at the premise—given concerns over allergies and animal welfare, it’s unlikely that most schools would allow a feline visitor to spend a full day in the classroom. But Freeman and Kaban acknowledge the improbability of the scenario as they playfully emphasize the stress Kitty feels at having his comfortable routine disrupted. After a skittish morning avoiding the children’s activities, Kitty is implausibly left to his own devices—and let out of his carrier—while the kindergartners and their beanie-wearing teacher leave the classroom. Kitty discovers the class gerbil and gives chase; chaos ensues, with slapstick humor abounding in the images. Upon the class’s return, the understanding teacher cajoles Kitty into some learning alongside the students before show and tell finally takes place at day’s end. Freeman’s narrative is light on plot, though infused with a message that will resonate with youngsters reluctant to embrace change. Kaban’s energetic illustrations, which would translate well into animation, do the heavy lifting to engage readers. Kitty’s owner is light-skinned; the class is diverse.
Upbeat and fun—and just the thing to coax nervous youngsters into embracing all things school. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9781368097284
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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