It’s not easy to make the moral case for always telling the truth without sounding preachy, but this monster book does it by...
A personified lie that grows bigger with each fib anchors the story of an ugly sweater, some bad decisions, and the restorative power of fessing up.
Percy isn’t too thrilled with his new handmade sweater from Grandma, done in a garish set of colors that make him frown mightily. The moment Percy and his brother, both white boys, get outside to walk the dog, the sweater ends up on the pooch and is destroyed. When Percy comes home, he lies and says he lost the sweater. When Percy goes to his room, his lie has become a little blue creature. “You told a big, hairy, monstrous lie,” it tells him. “It was a whopper. I am your Whopper!” Predictably, the Whopper grows and begins to dominate Percy’s life as the lies continue. Somewhat less predictably, the Whopper gobbles up Percy and takes his place. It’s only when, from inside the Whopper, Percy confesses the truth that the Whopper fades away. Ashdown’s deceptively simple drawings on closer look reveal lovely detail around the edges. She has a knack for drawing adorable pets readers might like to adopt right off the page. The Whopper itself, though less lovable, makes a big impression while not overstaying his disruptive turn in the story.
It’s not easy to make the moral case for always telling the truth without sounding preachy, but this monster book does it by simply sticking to the story and keeping it fun. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 9, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9291-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
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
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
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