A lighthearted romp, best enjoyed before—or after—a trip to the Big Apple.
A show-biz pooch leads a girl and her pup on a merry chase through New York City.
Tan-skinned Nancy and her dachshund, Roger, are planning to see a Broadway musical: Dogs! The Musical! (composed by Andrew Woyd Flebber). As they approach the theater, they see Candy, the poodle star of the show, standing outside, tied to a fire hydrant. Nancy pets Candy and even holds her leash, but when she lets go, Candy takes off. She leaps into a taxi and heads for Central Park, where she visits its famous zoo. Nancy and Roger are hot on her heels, but Nancy’s dismayed when they lose track of Candy in a huge parade. Finally, she spots Candy being carried aloft by a bunch of colorful balloons. Trailed by a group of curious dogs, Nancy and Roger follow Candy to the Statue of Liberty, where the pooch becomes entangled in Lady Liberty’s torch. Is a rescue possible? While the plot may be paper-thin, kids will enjoy this lift-the-flap story’s satisfying ending and frenzied pace, though adults—especially New Yorkers—will most appreciate the setting, the iconic landmarks, and the winking homage to Cats. The colorful mixed-media illustrations are cheery, and the flaps and foldouts make for interactive fun; the final page features photos of a little girl and a dog, presumably the real-life models for Nancy and Roger.
A lighthearted romp, best enjoyed before—or after—a trip to the Big Apple. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781536232714
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Walker US/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
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
A sweet reminder that it’s easy to weather a storm with the company and kindness of friends.
Is it a stormy-night scare or a bedtime book? Both!
Little Blue Truck and his good friend Toad are heading home when a storm lets loose. Before long, their familiar, now very nervous barnyard friends (Goat, Hen, Goose, Cow, Duck, and Pig) squeeze into the garage. Blue explains that “clouds bump and tumble in the sky, / but here inside we’re warm and dry, / and all the thirsty plants below / will get a drink to help them grow!” The friends begin to relax. “Duck said, loud as he could quack it, / ‘THUNDER’S JUST A NOISY RACKET!’ ” In the quiet after the storm, the barnyard friends are sleepy, but the garage is not their home. “ ‘Beep!’ said Blue. ‘Just hop inside. / All aboard for the bedtime ride!’ ” Young readers will settle down for their own bedtimes as Blue and Toad drop each friend at home and bid them a good night before returning to the garage and their own beds. “Blue gave one small sleepy ‘Beep.’ / Then Little Blue Truck fell fast asleep.” Joseph’s rich nighttime-blue illustrations (done “in the style of [series co-creator] Jill McElmurry”) highlight the power of the storm and capture the still serenity that follows. Little Blue Truck has been chugging along since 2008, but there seems to be plenty of gas left in the tank.
A sweet reminder that it’s easy to weather a storm with the company and kindness of friends. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-328-85213-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© 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.
