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THE POWER OF YETI

Name: THE POWER OF YETI
Author: Rebecca Van Slyke
ISBN: 9780399169588

by Rebecca Van Slyke ; illustrated by G. Brian Karas ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2023

Equal parts silly and seriously motivating.

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A child builds confidence and skills alongside a Yeti.

“Look at those feet! Those muscles! I wish I was like that!” A light-skinned child excitedly observes Yeti, Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Abominable Snow Monster as they romp in a grassy field. The legendary characters can lift giant boulders with gleeful ease, but the discouraged protagonist is still struggling to get the hang of shoelace-tying. Yeti offers to share “THE POWER OF YETI” with the young narrator. “Instead of ‘I can’t tie my shoes,’ try saying ‘I can’t tie my shoes…YETi!' " The others agree, noting that the mantra helped them learn to ride a bike and jump-rope. After a brief shoe-tying lesson, the narrator tries…and…success! Chunky block lettering for exclamations, varied layouts, and action-focused illustrations of the other creatures using the power of YETi do double duty as entertainment and inspiration. Even though the big concepts about learning life skills and loving who you are come into play, the banter between the Yeti and the child is hilarious and effortless. Readers will start thinking about new talents to master and will be sure to adopt a positive learning mindset with Yeti on their side. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Equal parts silly and seriously motivating. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023

ISBN: 9780399169588

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S DRAGONS & MYTHICAL CREATURES | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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LANA LYNN AND THE NEW WATCHDOG
by Rebecca Van Slyke ; illustrated by Anca Sandu

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GOOD NIGHT, ALLIGATOR
by Rebecca Van Slyke ; illustrated by Mike Boldt

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MONSTER'S TRUCKS
by Rebecca Van Slyke ; illustrated by Joe Sutphin

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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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)