A well-meaning but just so-so friendship story.
A girl overcomes fears and helps her favorite friend.
Olive has a BFF—Hoot, a large, chubby toy owl. Olive likes her excitement in books, while Hoot’s eager for genuine adventures. When Hoot tells Olive he’s prepared a surprise for her that “could be a small bit scary,” she’s wary, declaring that she isn’t as brave as he. A balloon-powered flight higher than Olive appreciates ensues, as does a speedy boat ride. Through both exploits, Hoot reminds scared Olive he’ll keep her safe. Then Hoot discovers his bottom’s torn; he’s lost stuffing. Olive now declares she’ll “be brave enough for both of us.” Leading them both safely home, she repairs the rip. While sweet, this friendship story may confuse readers. Is Olive imagining the adventures, with Hoot the stand-in for her courage, or have the thrilling feats been propelled by the toy’s own agency? Kids may not mind, but some adults might frown that a girl repeatedly protests fearfulness while a male demonstrates daring ingenuity. Finally, what’s brave about walking home and sewing (another stereotyped female activity)? The artwork (rendered in watercolors, pen, and ink, and with colors added digitally) fares better, the illustrations displaying colorful, sweeping spreads and commanding aerial perspectives; occasionally, more-intimate black-line sketches appear in margins with text. Olive has pale skin, ruddy cheeks, button eyes, and wind-blown brown locks.
A well-meaning but just so-so friendship story. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 12, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-12748-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: April 17, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
Safe to creep on by.
Carle’s famous caterpillar expresses its love.
In three sentences that stretch out over most of the book’s 32 pages, the (here, at least) not-so-ravenous larva first describes the object of its love, then describes how that loved one makes it feel before concluding, “That’s why… / I[heart]U.” There is little original in either visual or textual content, much of it mined from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. “You are… / …so sweet,” proclaims the caterpillar as it crawls through the hole it’s munched in a strawberry; “…the cherry on my cake,” it says as it perches on the familiar square of chocolate cake; “…the apple of my eye,” it announces as it emerges from an apple. Images familiar from other works join the smiling sun that shone down on the caterpillar as it delivers assurances that “you make… / …the sun shine brighter / …the stars sparkle,” and so on. The book is small, only 7 inches high and 5 ¾ inches across when closed—probably not coincidentally about the size of a greeting card. While generations of children have grown up with the ravenous caterpillar, this collection of Carle imagery and platitudinous sentiment has little of his classic’s charm. The melding of Carle’s caterpillar with Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE on the book’s cover, alas, draws further attention to its derivative nature.
Safe to creep on by. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-448-48932-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
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)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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