How do you measure a terrific, winning book? By the learning and smiles it will surely generate.
Who knew you could measure almost anything?
Kids have probably learned or observed that measuring instruments—e.g., rulers, tape—determine how long or tall items are, and they likely know that such implements rely on numbers. But how do we measure intangibles like ideas or feelings? This picture book demonstrates how to do so. Each page presents a question and a striking, cartoonlike illustration, often with a tape-measure motif. One page states, “How big are you?” The image depicts an adult measuring a brown-skinned child’s height against a wall along with words and phrases such as microscopic, sprouting, giant, towering, and sky-high. Fonts in which measuring words/phrases are set on pages throughout vary, and some are boldfaced. Often, responses cavort playfully on pages so readers have to turn the book—or their heads!—to read text, as is the case with the question “How strong are you?” for which answers appear on a rope with which the child plays tug of war with a dog. Other questions include “How kind are you?” and “How much do you know?” The best is saved for last: “How much do I love you?” The answer, from a tan-skinned caregiver, in boldfaced capital letters: “IMMEASURABLY!” This unique, clever offering will enhance visual literacy and help readers develop vocabulary. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
How do you measure a terrific, winning book? By the learning and smiles it will surely generate. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-79721-179-4
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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