Bruce may not be having a “BIG FUN DAY,” but new readers sure will.
Bruce the bear (Bruce’s Big Move, 2017, etc.) is back for another grumpy day, this time in early-reader form.
Fans of Bruce can rejoice as their favorite character advances alongside his audience. The well-known grouch appears with his signature skeptical expression and mouse frenemy Nibbs. Nibbs arranges a “BIG FUN DAY” for the pair, but as per usual, it’s laced with disaster. Youngsters will giggle at and groan alongside Bruce as he recovers from a syrup-doused breakfast in bed, runs from an ant-infested picnic gone awry, and endures an extremely wet boat ride. The sight of oblivious Nibbs leading Bruce through the challenges, constantly beaming, adds to the laughs. The twist ending—that Bruce “likes being grumpy” and secretly enjoyed his harrowing day—is a smidge disappointing after such a fresh-feeling story, but no one will complain after all the fun. Higgins’ droll narrative style uses predictable and repetitive vocabulary and plenty of clear visual cues to help newly independent readers navigate the book themselves. There are enough meaty words like “afternoon” and “fancy” and “supper” interwoven to keep youngsters on their toes, but the narrative is so engaging and the art so crisp and colorfully textured that they’ll be eager to read on.
Bruce may not be having a “BIG FUN DAY,” but new readers sure will. (Early reader. 4-7)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-01577-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: March 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hee haw.
The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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