Realistically portrays the ups and downs of learning a new skill with satisfying success.
A young Black girl eager to attend her first ice-skating lesson imagines how she will “Jump. Leap. Twirl.”
At the skating rink, Claire’s enthusiasm becomes disappointment when her introduction to the sport is different than her expectations. She hates the ugly brown rental skates, wanting pretty white ones of her own. She does not appreciate being placed among the Snowplows (the beginners group); she’d rather be called a skater. And she doesn’t see the point of the initial exercises off the ice. “This isn’t skating. I want to skate!” Finally on the ice, skating is harder than anticipated and…“Wibble, Wobble…BOOM!” Claire falls on her bottom. But the light-skinned coach, Miss Nicole, tells everyone that Claire did a good job falling the right way. Getting up correctly is also a technique, but as the lesson progresses, Claire is still discouraged: “Skating is hard, not fun!” Then she takes notice of how Miss Nicole moves her feet: “Push, glide, slide.” One more try, a few wobbles, and Claire understands and skates toward the railing. Her hard work has paid off, and she feels proud to be a Snowplow. The delicate pencil, acrylic, and digital illustrations reflect a diverse group of children lending support and encouragement to an impatient yet determined newcomer; little ones facing their own challenges will be buoyed. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Realistically portrays the ups and downs of learning a new skill with satisfying success. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68263-220-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2022
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Totes adorbs.
A cuddly, squishy pug’s puggy-wuggy diary.
Equipped with both #pugunicorn and #pughotdog outfits, pug Baron von Bubbles (aka Bub) is the kind of dog that always dresses to impress. Bub also makes lots of memorable faces, such as the “Hey, you’re not the boss of me!” expression aimed at Duchess, the snooty pink house cat. Some of Bub’s favorite things include skateboarding, a favorite teddy, and eating peanut butter. Bub also loves Bella, who adopted Bub from a fair—it was “love at first sniff.” Together, Bub and Bella do a lot of arts and crafts. Their latest project: entering Bella’s school’s inventor challenge by making a super-duper awesome rocket. But, when the pesky neighborhood squirrel, Nutz, makes off with Bub’s bear, Bub accidentally ruins their project. How will they win the contest? More importantly, how will Bella ever forgive him? May’s cutesy, full-color cartoon art sets the tone for this pug-tastic romp for the new-to–chapter-books crowd. Emojilike faces accentuate Bub’s already expressive character design. Bub’s infectious first-person narration pushes the silly factor off the charts. In addition to creating the look and feel of a diary, the lined paper helps readers follow the eight-chapter story. Most pages have fewer than five sentences, often broken into smaller sections. Additional text appears in color-coded speech bubbles. Bella presents white.
Totes adorbs. (Fiction. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-53003-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
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