Though the story is on the bland side, the illustrations show that Regordosa has real promise.
When wild dreams threaten, it’s Sir Muffin Muffinsson to the rescue!
Fluffy white cat Sir Muffin always keeps a watch over white human baby Emma in her crib. One night seven Dustrats (one for each day Emma’s room has gone without tidying) pop out from beneath the skirt of her bed. Sir Muffin grabs his vacuum and chases after the Dustrats before they can make a mess of the whole house. “Monday’s Dustrat is gobbling up delicious cookies in the kitchen. / Crumbs everywhere!” Suddenly the room is overtaken by penguins and polar bears—Emma’s dreams are taking over. Tuesday’s Dustrat is napping in an enchanted forest in the living room. Wednesday’s is in a castle besieged by a dragon in the attic! Sir Muffin catches each Dustrat, but in the meantime, Emma’s dreams have gotten out of control. Can Sir Muffin save her? Not alone he can’t! Readers of Regordosa’s tale of steadfast pussycat Sir Muffin are likely to find that the occasional tinny-sounding, old-fashioned exclamations (“Lo!”; “Zounds!”) fall flat, unjustified by the story. The detailed and trippy illustrations are the real stars here, especially the adorable Dustrats, who clothe themselves in discarded socks. The seek-and-find game inherent in each themed double-page spread of dreamlike wackiness will entertain.
Though the story is on the bland side, the illustrations show that Regordosa has real promise. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 16, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-57687-821-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: POW!
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
