Dynamic, fun-filled, imaginative, and ideal for participatory reading aloud
Hattie the magician pulls amazing things out of her hat.
Emerging from her top hat, Hattie, a rabbit, welcomes everyone to her magic show, invites readers to repeat “Abracadabra, katakurico,” and see “what’s in the hat.” Initially, two pointy ears surface and then a surprised cat jumps out. Hattie repeats the same magic words, and the fluffy tail and ears of an energetic squirrel appear. Next Hattie’s magic words invoke a snakelike arm attached to a huge octopus followed by antlers belonging to a gigantic moose. For her next trick, Hattie reveals the gray trunk of an enormous, shocked elephant who’s temporarily stuck in the hat. Surely the hat’s finally empty now? But wait, Hattie has a “grand finale” still to come. The spare, repetitive, interactive text engages readers in chanting the magic words with Hattie and watching expectantly, guessing what will emerge next. The energetic illustrations rely on vivid colors, bold, black, hand-drawn outlines, simple shapes, and plain backgrounds to showcase Hattie in her yellow coat and red bow tie as she conjures the sequence of hilarious creatures from her magical hat. As the animals increase in size, they dominate the double-page spreads until Hattie’s growing menagerie explodes into a wild, wonderful “whole new world of friends.”
Dynamic, fun-filled, imaginative, and ideal for participatory reading aloud (. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-150-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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