Droll humor, an unusual design, and an appealing main character add up to a funny addition to the canon of canines adjusting...
A pampered Chihuahua gradually realizes its owners are preparing for an impending arrival in the family.
Little Louie enjoys a pleasant, predictable life with Mom and Dad, who are white, as they meet the pup’s every need. Louie eats at the table with them, sleeps in their bed, and enjoys being at the center of their attention. Things begin to change with the visits of friends with babies, and then Mom begins to grow visibly larger in the belly region. New purchases are made, with matching sets of each item, such as little beds, sweaters, and hats. When Louie spies a double stroller, the conclusion seems inevitable: twins must be on the way. After an unsuccessful attempt at running away, Louie is pleased to meet just one new “baby brother.” In the final scene, Louie and the baby are shown together in the stroller wearing matching hats and sweaters. Fluid, line-and-color illustrations in pencil and watercolor use a sophisticated palette of gray or white backgrounds with minimal color accents. An extra-large trim size allows for a pleasing variety of illustration perspectives, including two huge, double-page spreads with laugh-out-loud views of Louie being kicked by the then–in utero baby and imagining the arrival of twins. Fucile’s background as a feature film animator is evident in the comedic pacing and polished, understated composition of scenic constructions.
Droll humor, an unusual design, and an appealing main character add up to a funny addition to the canon of canines adjusting to new babies. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5828-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
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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Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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