Classic in style, rich in information, and sweet in story.
A save-the-day story sprinkled with firefighter facts.
What happens when the Tabby Twins get stuck on an ice cream cone sign during a kitchen fire? Led by cheerful, orderly Chief Piggie, the firefighters of Breezy Valley—a group of anthropomorphic animals—spring into action! At the scene of the emergency, the Tabby Twins argue while stranded on the ice cream cone sign. “You’re breathing my air,” snipes one. “Am NOT!” retorts the other. Their squabble lightens the mood and signals that all will be OK, and sure enough, they are returned to their mother promptly so the crew can fight the flames below. Next, it’s on to fight a meadow fire and then time to unwind at the firehouse…until a late-night siren interrupts again—a firefighter’s job is never done! The illustrations are reminiscent of Richard Scarry’s work. Bustling scenes will keep readers searching for stories within the story. The main narrative, conveyed in blocky black text, can be followed easily, while the use of speech bubbles in the art adds to the fun. Early on, an elaborately labeled illustration of turnout gear is followed by diagrams of pumper and ladder engines and Brush Breaker trucks, making this a true love letter to firefighters and their tools. At the end of the book, Alley encourages readers to go back and spot details hidden in the art. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Classic in style, rich in information, and sweet in story. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781662670275
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kane Press
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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