Not quite “a megaton of fun” but enjoyable enough.
An all-night cat disco in the streets—what could go wrong?
It’s midnight, and something “covered in glitter from head to toe” is slinking out the window of an ornate townhouse: Sam Francisco, a flamboyant orange cat with a flashy roster of friends, is throwing a DIY disco in the streets. Clad in a David Bowie–inspired outfit, Sam serves as resident DJ while his pals “breakdance, can-can, hip-hop, headbang” to the beat. Buzzkill Bill, a tan-skinned neighbor with a classically villainous countenance, is rudely awakened by the ruckus and instructs his dogs to break up the party. Instead, the dogs get swept up in the music. Bill proceeds to call pest control, the fire department, and the police—predictably, each subsequently joins the revelers. Out of options, Bill pulls the plug on Sam’s audio equipment and brings the music to a silent halt. Is the party over? Overturning some trash cans, Sam creates a drum set and keeps the fun alive: “The bins were even louder than the DJ set. Everyone was breaking out their best moves yet.” Paired with illustrator Talib’s busy, whimsical pictures, the rhyming text and joyful tumult of Sam’s late-night jamboree may entertain some readers. Others may not find enough to grab them in this rather formulaic story. Human characters are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not quite “a megaton of fun” but enjoyable enough. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9781773218212
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
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)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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