A tale with lively illustrations but challenging prosody and an inadvertently risky takeaway.
When should we run away from danger, and when should we run into it?
Bryson is far from the largest or strongest of his bison herd and lacks artistic gifts, but he has “smarts” (an accompanying illustration suggests that higher-order math is his domain). He and his friends enjoy the “wide-open ranges and canyons so grand.” They fear thunderstorms but, unfortunately, live in a region where they are common. One day a storm breaks out. Bryson’s “plan”: run into the storm. The text lauds the “courage he chose,” though it’s not clear why he was sure they’d be safe as the lightning strikes all around them, nor how he knew which direction would take them out of the storm. Where is the line between bravery and foolhardiness? The verse is sometimes awkward and not always coherent (“He used his big thinker, no matter the season”—is it more difficult to think at some times of the year? Does lightning “boom like a drum”?). The illustrations might override doubts, however. They are vibrantly wacky; realistic yet expressive bison sport human haircuts, with hooves that are otherwise convincingly natural but in a pinch can grip. The underlying message is a good one: Face fears boldly, and you can get through to the other side. But here, confronting fear means running right into the path of lightning. Do NOT try this at home! (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A tale with lively illustrations but challenging prosody and an inadvertently risky takeaway. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9780310153108
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
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
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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
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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