by Tammi Sauer ; illustrated by Liz Starin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 29, 2015
Bighearted, heart-gladdening, and—best—a light-hearted approach to finding friends.
Who said St. George had the last word when it comes to dragons? Not Sauer’s mite, nor his fire-breathing friends.
A ragamuffin makes himself a dragon costume. He may look like one of the lads from Sherwood Forest, but he plays the part of a dragon well. Well...not so much when two real dragons drop by for a visit. “ROAR! Look at me, look at me! I’m a dragon.” “No. You’re not,” says a dragon. Why, I tower over my cat, I’m toothy, I breathe fire, the boy...well...suggests. Take a look, the dragons suggest in return—not at all superior about their talents, but there’s no doubting who’s a dragon and who’s a kid. “Waaaaaaaaahhhh!” wahs the kid, sealing the fact he’s no dragon. But look what you can do, the dragons say: play hide-and-seek, turn cartwheels, and eat ice cream (the dragons dismally fail at all these). “Waaaaaaaaahhh!” wah the dragons, jeopardizing their dragon status with all the wahing when it dawns on them what they are missing. No one likes to see dragons cry, so the boy points out their commonalities: they can all make silly and scary faces; they can all do the funky monkey. What more, really, do friends need, other than to share time and do weird things? Friendship can be pretty simple, at least at the start, and Sauer—along with some glittering, inviting artwork from Starin—provides encouragement to jump in, despite the incongruities, maybe even because of them.
Bighearted, heart-gladdening, and—best—a light-hearted approach to finding friends. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4814-0224-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2015
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by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025
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
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