Models a less than ideal example of friendship.
Sharing her pet stone threatens Otter’s one friendship.
Otter naps clutching Rock to her chest, dresses Rock in seaweed clothing and accessories, and bathes the stone “until Rock sparkles.” Before sleep she “whispers her dreams to Rock. Things that make her happy, or sad, or somewhere in between.” Conveniently (and authentically, for otters), she has an armpit “pocket” where she can tuck Rock. Rock is stolidly passive: Whatever Otter does, “Rock doesn’t mind.” When Manatee asks to play with Otter and Rock, Otter is uncertain but, offered a seagrass accessory for Rock, Otter “can’t say no to a present.” Quiet play suddenly becomes sea-baseball, and Otter’s vigorous thwack sends Rock over Manatee’s head and into the deep. Otter instantly regrets sharing, and though she was the gift-bribed one who let Manatee play and the one who shot Rock into the air, she unreasonably refuses to talk or listen to her friend. Manatee goes to great lengths searching for Rock and, with others’ help, finds Otter’s beloved pal—at which point Otter just resumes playing with her, and “sometimes, they share Rock with others.” If you don’t expect remorse, reflection, or change on Otter’s part, this is a happy ending. Zuill’s pen-and-color style is similar to but somewhat less quirky than the illustrations in Wolf Camp (2016). The two big-eyed animals are slightly anthropomorphized, but several other sea creatures are not. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Models a less than ideal example of friendship. (facts on manatees and otters) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 9, 2023
ISBN: 9781454944522
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 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
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
