Readers will relish being in on the autumnal joke the whole time.
Sometimes spells go awry.
Ellis, an impish, red-haired tot dressed as a witch, loves Halloween. Errant wand waves and a barrage of “Abracadabras” wake Dad from his nap as Ellis marches into the room. But Dad is a little rascally as well and decides to play a trick. While Ellis isn’t looking, Dad puts a large pumpkin on the chair and hides. Ellis glances over, distraught: “Oh no. I turned my dad into a pumpkin!” Quick as a wink, Ellis loads the pumpkin onto a bike, intending to rush it to the hospital; Dad tries to call out that it was a joke, but Ellis speeds off. On the way, however, the pumpkin falls and rolls into a pumpkin festival. In the large sea of orange gourds, how is Ellis to figure out which one is Dad? A string of silly circumstances follows, with Ellis calling out warnings to various confused festivalgoers: “Oh no, no, please don’t doodle on my dad!” “Oh no, no, please don’t cook my dad!” Lemaître’s jovial plot recalls William Steig’s work, while his expressive ink-lined characters are a pleasure to watch. Goofy humor and quick quips help this tale bounce merrily from one vignette to the next. Both Ellis and Dad are pale-skinned; their town is diverse.
Readers will relish being in on the autumnal joke the whole time. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9780593695203
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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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