Repetitive—but a potential resource.
This book aims to help young children cope with the loss of a pet.
Zack’s dog, Jojo, aged, fell sick, and died; this weekend will be Zack’s first without him. Despite his parents’ best efforts to make Zack feel better—they buy him a cupcake and promise to adopt a new dog soon—he is sad and angry. The stages of grief are clearly written and illustrated throughout the book, with ghost Jojo appearing on most pages to watch over Zack, who is clearly in pain. When his friend Emily, whose cat died recently, sees him crying, she tells him that the pets aren’t actually gone forever because there is an “Invisible Leash” that connects their hearts after the pets go to the place “beyond.” Zack is understandably skeptical, but Emily insists that just because he can’t see the Leash doesn’t mean it isn’t there, and if he tries, he will be able to feel it. Emily does her best to convince Zack, and here the writing gets repetitive, until he finally believes and is able to sleep knowing Jojo is always with him. Zack is biracial—his dad is black and his mom is white—and Emily appears white. This is the author and illustrator’s The Invisible String (2018) for pets, so readers will not find anything new here. Still, some pet parents might find this helpful for grieving children.
Repetitive—but a potential resource. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-316-52485-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
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
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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