The perfect story for goal-oriented readers (as well as those who need the occasional nudge).
Seemingly impossible tasks can be completed—with a bit of motivation.
The titular Impossible Thing—a dizzying labyrinth of thorns, boulders, rapids, and heights—stands near the edge of the forest and is so named by the woodland creatures because everyone assumes that traversing it is out of the question. This can’t-do attitude prevails until Hugo, a French bulldog, appears and asks the question: “How do we know the Impossible Thing is impossible if no one’s ever tried to get through it?” In his quest for answers, Hugo seeks out the experts: Mr. Bear is strong, Little Fox is clever, Miss Otter is an excellent swimmer, and Old Mr. Goat is a mountain climber. Although their answers express pessimism, Hugo’s determination inspires them to try, and together the animals work to beat the Impossible. The story’s flow is smooth and begs to be read aloud; children and caregivers will enjoy Hugo’s can-do attitude and his unjudgmental reception of the initial skepticism shown by the forest crowd. The lush, soft-edged illustrations will display equally well in a lap or at the front of a room. Hanson dials the cuteness level down a bit from her illustrations in Close Your Eyes (2021) and other collaborations with Lori Haskins Houran, but the animals’ expressive features, especially cheerful Hugo’s, are winning. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
The perfect story for goal-oriented readers (as well as those who need the occasional nudge). (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: March 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-20463-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
Extraordinary introductory terror, beautiful to the eye and sure to delight younger horror enthusiasts.
What terrors lurk within your mouth? Jasper Rabbit knows.
“You have stumbled your way into the unknown.” The young bunny introduced in Reynolds and Brown’s Caldecott Honor–winning picture book, Creepy Carrots (2012), takes up Rod Serling’s mantle, and the fit is perfect. Mimicking an episode of The Twilight Zone, the book follows Charlie Marmot, an average kid with a penchant for the strange and unusual. He’s pleased when his tonsils become infected; maybe once they’re out he can take them to school for show and tell! That’s when bizarre things start to happen: Noises in the night. Slimy trails on his bedroom floor. And when Charlie goes in for his surgery, he’s told that the tonsils have disappeared from his throat; clearly something sinister is afoot. Those not yet ready for Goosebumps levels of horror will find this a welcome starter pack. Reynolds has perfected the tension he employed in his Creepy Tales! series, and partner in crime Brown imbues each illustration with both humor and a delicate undercurrent of dark foreshadowing. While the fleshy pink tonsils—the sole spot of color in this black-and-white world—aren’t outrageously gross, there’s something distinctly disgusting about them. And though the book stars cute, furry woodland creatures, the spooky surprise ending is 100% otherworldly—a marvelous moment of twisted logic.
Extraordinary introductory terror, beautiful to the eye and sure to delight younger horror enthusiasts. (Early chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781665961080
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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