Jolly animals and an intriguing page design are welcome attributes, but the lackluster text and absence of a clear...
Forest animals join forces to build a house where they can live together in harmony in this rhyming story with a retro vibe.
A cheerful mouse kicks off the building project with welcoming, outstretched arms on the title page. The mouse consoles a homeless frog, and they begin gathering sticks to build their new home. They are joined by other animals who need shelter, including rabbits, a bear, a fox, and birds. The animals use tools and boards to build their group home, which is never shown fully in the illustrations, and their construction efforts are rather confusing, as what they are actually building is hard to discern. The singsong rhyming text is earnest and peppy, proclaiming that in this new home, “life will be so sweet.” Soft-focus illustrations with a muted palette feature appealing animals with large eyes and expressive faces, and there are some amusing scenes as the group works together. The creative design includes pages of varying widths and die-cut windows on the cover and concluding spread. One illustration with a rainy setting has the text block set against dark, gray clouds, rendering the words almost unreadable.
Jolly animals and an intriguing page design are welcome attributes, but the lackluster text and absence of a clear conclusion to the building project make this a less than sturdy effort overall. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-7165-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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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