A fine and funny addition to any bedtime repertoire.
Will Bad Kitty ever get to bed?
Bad Kitty does not like bedtime. She has other plans. It is time to sleep, though, and she has to go through the motions. “Please brush your teeth, Kitty,” her owner presumably begs. But “Kitty does not want to brush her teeth. Kitty wants to… / PLAY!” PLAY! is repeated six times as Kitty—in eight different views—frantically tussles with a ball of yarn. Her owner gamely persists: “If you brush your teeth right now then there will be enough time for us to read a story together.” Well, Kitty does want to hear a story, so she brushes. Next, it’s time to potty…but Kitty does not want to potty; she wants to sing! Cue another double-page spread full of manically singing iterations of Kitty. But she needs to potty or no time for a story, so she potties. She’d rather not put on her pajamas either, but that story hinges on putting on pajamas, so she finally does. However, just as her favorite story (about a beautiful princess who also hates bedtime) starts…Kitty falls asleep. Bruel’s beloved bad puss does a fine stand-in for toddlers reluctant for bed in this short and silly invitation to snooze (with paper doll included). Fans and reluctant sleepers alike will enjoy Kitty’s most recent outing. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 84% of actual size.)
A fine and funny addition to any bedtime repertoire. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-74994-9
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
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Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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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