A playful and timely tale that teaches kids how to spot fearmongering and follow evidence.
In Gamarra’s illustrated children’s book, government-driven fear spreads faster than facts, but one child is determined to find the truth.
The town of Rumorridge is rife with rumors of a monster called the Jibberjack. However, Frida Fitzgerald, an aspiring “Truth Detective,” grows suspicious when the mayor, Theodore Tazzleworm, declares the monster real and says that everyone must stay indoors after dark, build traps, and clap extra loudly at town meetings (he “loves applause”). When two pigs, Carl and Carla, go missing, the fear campaign escalates. Armed with a notebook, Frida begins documenting clues and testing theories: “She had an idea to solve the monster mystery. But to be sure, she needed to set a trap.” The book doubles as a sharp lesson on misinformation, teaching children to question authority, examine evidence, and think critically. Gamarra’s narrative encourages active engagement, showing the advantages of careful observation and rational inquiry. Pilosio’s illustrations complement the story fantastically: Adults appear angular and performative, while Frida, with an adorable short black bob and bangs, is expressive and determined. Small visual details, such as a “No Monsters” protest sign, cleverly shape the book’s message. Back-matter discussion prompts and a “Become a Truth Detective” checklist offer practical and engaging guidance for children and caregivers.
A playful and timely tale that teaches kids how to spot fearmongering and follow evidence.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2025
ISBN: 9798998866517
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: today
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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