A gentle and playful celebration of difference and self-discovery.
A square who loves to roll instead of build surprises his community with his new talent and gains confidence in himself.
In Sam the square’s world of shapes, everyone has a job to do. Stable squares like Sam help construct towers and bridges, while speedy circles zoom from place to place as wheels on trains and trucks. Dissatisfied with his role in life, Sam decides to try something bold. He learns to roll and discovers joy by being himself. Debut author Jackson uses the familiar concept of shapes as a metaphor to discuss difference and identity. Bright and active digital illustrations accompany the text, expressing Sam’s love for movement. Although the initial language that Sam doesn’t “feel like a square” despite his “four pointy corners” paired with a depiction of Sam as a circle inside a square suggests a born-in-the-wrong-body narrative, Sam ultimately claims his shape and finds his own way to label himself. His corners become subtly rounder after the first time he rolls. In contrast to similar titles, such as Michael Hall’s Red: A Crayon’s Story (2015), Sam’s community encourages his behavior. The other shapes are excited to see a square roll, and the circles welcome him into rolling jobs. This positive support strengthens the underlying message that exploring identity and self-expression brings happiness.
A gentle and playful celebration of difference and self-discovery. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-62414-770-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
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
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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