This story’s theme of self-reliance fails to adequately address keeping one’s hand out of purses (and pockets) that belong...
That mischievous handful known as Betty Bunny is back for her fifth exploration of the boundaries of acceptable bunny behavior.
In her previous escapades, Betty learned lessons in patience, accepting limits, honesty and persistence. These behaviors all come into play in this latest story when Betty attends an Easter egg hunt with her family. Her three older siblings help Betty find lots of eggs to put in her huge Easter basket, but Betty is dissatisfied with her impressive egg-gathering results because she didn’t actually find the eggs herself. She starts over and finds just three eggs on her own, taking pride in her solo accomplishment. This praiseworthy attitude is totally upended by the unfortunate conclusion, in which Betty gets into her mother’s purse and is caught taking money to buy an even bigger Easter basket. Betty’s rationalization for stealing is to repeat her parents’ earlier encouragement during the egg hunt: “It means so much more if I find it myself.” Funny, yes, but distressing too, as this is the end of the story. This latest caper may be just a bit too sassy for some adults, though others may consider it an acceptable teaching point. Betty and her family and friends are visually as charming as ever in cleverly detailed watercolor illustrations that bring the anthropomorphic rabbits to life.
This story’s theme of self-reliance fails to adequately address keeping one’s hand out of purses (and pockets) that belong to others. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8037-4061-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015
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
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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