Will elicit smiles from Frenchie lovers but may stymie youngsters learning about opposites.
Another dog-themed concept book from Calmenson and Hibbert, this time focusing on opposites and French bulldogs.
A cream-colored Frenchie peacefully slumbers until he hears a particular tune and awakens with a start. The rest of the book follows him and lots of other French bulldogs as they home in on the source: an ice cream truck with free doggy treats. Their journey is filled with opportunities to learn about opposites: in-out, under-over, down-up, and high-low, to name a few. But not all these examples are well defined in the illustrations. The words “A few Frenchies follow. Then many come along” are presented on a spread with eight dogs following the sound, three roughly on the left, five toward the right. All the text is on the left, however, making it tricky for youngsters to draw a distinction between the pair. On another spread, we’re told that “running made the Frenchies hot,” but “cold doggy ice cream hits the spot.” The illustrations just show them all digging in, nothing suggesting that the animals are hot. Calmenson’s word choices are geared toward the rhymes, and the rhythm is punchy throughout. The humans depicted vary in skin tone. The backmatter stresses that French bulldogs don’t swim well, details the colors and markings of the canines in the book, and includes a picture of the real-life inspirations for the story.
Will elicit smiles from Frenchie lovers but may stymie youngsters learning about opposites. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781547614318
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...
The sturdy Little Blue Truck is back for his third adventure, this time delivering Christmas trees to his band of animal pals.
The truck is decked out for the season with a Christmas wreath that suggests a nose between headlights acting as eyeballs. Little Blue loads up with trees at Toad’s Trees, where five trees are marked with numbered tags. These five trees are counted and arithmetically manipulated in various ways throughout the rhyming story as they are dropped off one by one to Little Blue’s friends. The final tree is reserved for the truck’s own use at his garage home, where he is welcomed back by the tree salestoad in a neatly circular fashion. The last tree is already decorated, and Little Blue gets a surprise along with readers, as tiny lights embedded in the illustrations sparkle for a few seconds when the last page is turned. Though it’s a gimmick, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it fits with the retro atmosphere of the snowy country scenes. The short, rhyming text is accented with colored highlights, red for the animal sounds and bright green for the numerical words in the Christmas-tree countdown.
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own tree that will put a twinkle in a toddler’s eyes. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-32041-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
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Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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