A canine ode, ideal for poodle and doodle lovers (and froodles).
Calmenson’s latest rhyming book is a celebration of dogs, with some lessons on colors thrown in.
The dogs that appear here include both poodles and doodles (a mix of a poodle and another breed); they’re gathering for a Poodle Doodle Party. Each one brings, plays with, or interacts with something colorful, giving readers an introduction to both the basic colors (plus black, brown, white, and pink) and the general look of each breed. A poodle with a pink ribbon turns heads with a new haircut, an eager goldendoodle speeds around with the aid of his red wheelchair, and a beautifully patterned aussiedoodle proudly carries his long brown stick all over the park. The book’s ending takes a turn toward lessons in inclusion when a dachshund’s arrival initially sparks discord, but he’s quickly accepted as a froodle (“friend + oodle”). While the rhythms can be hit or miss and the complexity of the dog breeds may make learning about colors a bit challenging for younger readers, the cartoon illustrations are eye-catching and cheery; they keep the focus on the dogs, the colors, and the emotions. The child owners and their adults are racially diverse, and one adult woman wears a headscarf. The backmatter explores poodle varieties, the history of the first doodle, doodle combinations, and the book’s real-life inspiration.
A canine ode, ideal for poodle and doodle lovers (and froodles). (Picture/concept book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781547612277
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
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