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THE SORRY LIFE OF TIMOTHY SHMOE

Name: THE SORRY LIFE OF TIMOTHY SHMOE
Author: Stephanie Simpson McLellan
ISBN: 978-1-77147-393-4

by Stephanie Simpson McLellan ; illustrated by Zoe Si ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2021

Kids and adults alike will identify.

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Everyone has been Timothy Shmoe at one time or another.

He’s not a jerk or even “a bad kid.” He just moves from one catastrophe to another, clueless about consequences but always offering an apology of sorts and slowly figuring out the rules of life. When Timothy honestly tells Aunt Gladys that he doesn’t like the ginormous lime-green sweater (decorated with a large orange carrot) she knitted for him, his written apology is just as candid. “I said that because Dad says I must always tell the truth. / I guess he isn’t telling the truth about that.” When Timothy gives in to rage and ruins his sister’s science project, he acknowledges in his note to her that he’s learned his lesson and explains he wishes she let him play with her and her friends. Like many children, Timothy talks back, practices sports in the house, is egged into mischief by his siblings, and plays too rough with a pet. His parents always correct him, but “no matter what Timothy did or how often he did it… / His family loved him just the same.” Uncluttered cartoon illustrations of his misdeeds and the large handwritten apologies that accompany them provide room for discussion. Timothy’s mom presents White, and his dad has olive skin and dark hair; Timothy and his siblings share a skin tone in between. Great-Nanny Gough’s unexpected wheelchair ride will spark conversations about family members who require special considerations.

Kids and adults alike will identify. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 15, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-77147-393-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Owlkids Books

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
THE CHRISTMAS WIND
by Stephanie Simpson McLellan ; illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)