by Susan Milord & illustrated by Susan Milord ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2005
Milord manages to pack three short riffs on the waggish, self-assured rooster Thurston into this quick picture book. The first has the rooster cooking up a pot of “Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Soup,” wherein Thurston decides to add the sink as well, giving the dish just what it was missing. Next, Thurston boasts the prowess of all roosters, the fact that they can do each and everything better than chickens, until he’s handed an egg. “ ‘Your turn,’ Mirabelle said” Lastly, he cheats at cards—no one ever said Thurston was an angel—in what is decidedly his least savory moment. He flees the table before getting skunked; he may not always win, but he never loses. Sure, Thurston. That last episode ought to spark some interesting discussions between readers and listeners, but that’s Thurston: A rascal and a challenge. The artwork catches Thurston in all his pomposity—watercolors that feel like statements from Thurston’s soapbox—throwing a broad, ironic humor over the proceedings. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: April 4, 2005
ISBN: 0-618-42850-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2005
Share your opinion of this book
More by Susan Milord
BOOK REVIEW
by Susan Milord & illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma
BOOK REVIEW
by Susan Milord & illustrated by Christopher Denise
BOOK REVIEW
by Susan Milord & illustrated by Susan Milord
by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 24, 2025
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
Share your opinion of this book
More by Peter Brown
BOOK REVIEW
by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown
BOOK REVIEW
by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Peter Brown
BOOK REVIEW
by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown
by Carin Bramsen & illustrated by Carin Bramsen ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2013
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
More by Carin Bramsen
BOOK REVIEW
by Carin Bramsen ; illustrated by Carin Bramsen
BOOK REVIEW
by Carin Bramsen ; illustrated by Carin Bramsen
BOOK REVIEW
by Kirsten Bramsen & illustrated by Carin Bramsen
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.