Magoon gets his message across: Be the best you you can be.
A pencil goes through an existential crisis when his eraser criticizes his art.
The upcoming art show and its attendant grand prize have got Linus, a little yellow pencil, and all the other art supplies (crayons, a paintbrush, and a ruler, among others) very excited. But at the other end from Linus’ point, eraser Ernie is extremely critical of Linus’ drawings. Ernie moves from embarrassment at their quality to outright anger, and he takes it out on Linus. The pencil’s cheerful expression soon morphs from worry through sadness and shock to depression as Linus watches the other supplies creating beautiful work. Then, “feeling dull,” Linus meets Smudge in a “cave” (a pencil sharpener) and gets some solid advice about using the talents you have when you are able: “Find your path by drawing it.” And Linus does just that, finding a way for him to draw and for Ernie to erase that creates something totally new and different. Readers will notice that although their work attracts a crowd at the show, no grand prize is awarded, which makes the ending more of a fizzle than a finale. Magoon’s digital artwork uses scanned paper textures manipulated in Photoshop, with color used masterfully—the result emphasizes the different looks achieved by using the various art supplies. The simple but expressive faces on the implements are standouts.
Magoon gets his message across: Be the best you you can be. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-00627-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
