Purrfectly charming!
Pets can be…complicated.
When Sunny’s father adopts a scruffy gray cat he names Oswaldo, Sunny is less than thrilled. Sunny, who has light, freckled skin and straight reddish-brown hair, doesn’t like the cat’s name, his grooming habits, or the way he hisses at her. But Sunny’s father loves Oswaldo, so Sunny tolerates him—even when it seems like Oswaldo gets special privileges that Sunny doesn’t. Oswaldo often disappears all day, returning before bedtime—until one day he doesn’t. Sunny is initially happy, but her father explains that Oswaldo’s life pre-adoption was tough and they need to be a little patient with him. “That doesn’t mean he’s not a good cat. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t love him.” Thankfully Oswaldo eventually reappears, and both he and Sunny become a little more tolerant of each other. This well-paced story tells a realistic story of an adopted pet with grace and light humor. Families with strong-willed pets will love meeting Oswaldo, and those considering adopting a new furry friend from a shelter will find this an excellent way to remind younger family members that some animals, especially those who have endured difficult pasts, may be slow to warm up. The artwork has an exaggerated, cartoonish quality, though it also turns poignant; the final illustration of Sunny and Oswaldo hugging makes clear that even the most stubborn of us—human and pet—can change our opinions when we consider others. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Purrfectly charming! (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-64375-095-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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