by Tracey Corderoy ; illustrated by Tony Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 7, 2020
It’s not at all impossible for readers to enjoy this perky story.
Nothing’s impossible unless you say it is.
Dog runs a laundry business in the city, and he longs to see the ocean. Then he finds a box of new detergent called Ocean Magic, not only promising “seaside freshness with every wash!” but also, apparently, bearing a passenger. After Dog uses the detergent, what should emerge from the washing machine but a dizzy crab? Crab must return home—but how? Bicycling and mailing aren’t options. Consulting a map, Dog realizes “it’s impossible” to drive to the ocean, but Crab coaxes him into making the trip together. Even though he keeps repeating “it’s impossible,” Dog sets out with Crab. They explore varied terrain, visit natural wonders, take selfies, and meet other travelers overcoming personal impossible challenges. Finally arriving at their destination, Dog’s in ocean heaven. Dejectedly acknowledging staying is not, well, possible, Dog backtracks when he realizes remaining in seaside paradise is “only impossible if I SAY it is.” The satisfying conclusion shows Dog and Crab operating a bustling beach cafe. This lighthearted but single-purpose tale posits that goals one thinks are impossible may not be. This is a good message for youngsters, and Crab’s gusto might encourage kids to work to make their dreams real. The colorful, lively illustrations lend humor and feature plenty of details for children to savor. Endpapers depict colorful, smiling fish.
It’s not at all impossible for readers to enjoy this perky story. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68010-191-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
Share your opinion of this book
More by Tracey Corderoy
BOOK REVIEW
by Tracey Corderoy ; illustrated by Sarah Massini
BOOK REVIEW
by Tracey Corderoy ; illustrated by Tony Neal
BOOK REVIEW
by Tracey Corderoy ; illustrated by Tony Neal
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...
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
Share your opinion of this book
More by Tish Rabe
BOOK REVIEW
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings
BOOK REVIEW
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2022
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Christina Geist
BOOK REVIEW
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
BOOK REVIEW
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
© Copyright 2024 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.