An upbeat, charming reminder that any problem can be solved with the right attitude.
A dog lover prevented from pet ownership finds a creative solution.
“Our apartment is the perfect place for pillow forts and movie nights and family dinners,” Zoe tells us. “Unfortunately, it is not the perfect place for dogs.” But Zoe is a good problem solver, and the young narrator takes us on a walk around the neighborhood, where we meet a variety of dogs, from Wishbone, a Chihuahua whom Zoe reads to, to Marmalade, a Yorkie who has wheels in place of hind legs, to Gabby and Abby, Zoe’s piano teacher’s collies. Conversations with a neighbor at the community garden and later with big sister Meg lead Zoe to a great idea for a birthday party in the park…with all of Zoe’s pals, human and canine. The celebration is a joyous event. Horan’s straightforward, minimal text tells a cheerful story; the closest we get to anything negative occurs when Zoe admits to a pang of jealousy over a friend who has just adopted a pet dachshund. Overall, it’s a sweet and gently humorous tale, with lively, colorful illustrations that bring to life a tightknit urban community. Young children will feel empowered witnessing how Zoe finds a way to deal with a seemingly insurmountable issue. Zoe and Meg are Asian-presenting, while their mother is light-skinned; their neighborhood is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally; this review has been updated for factual accuracy.)
An upbeat, charming reminder that any problem can be solved with the right attitude. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 13, 2023
ISBN: 9780593324356
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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
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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