A sweet Easter primer for the youngest of snuggle bunnies.
Young farmyard friends busily prepare for a springtime celebration.
After collaborating on tales devoted to animals observing Halloween and Christmas, Paul and Walker turn their attention to Easter. The farm families gather, weaving baskets and dyeing eggs. Kitten and Cat interlace fabric strips for their basket (Kitten paws energetically at the dangling ribbons), while Goat and Kid fittingly make theirs out of paper and cans that they have munched into shape. Hen, of course, provides the eggs, which are intricately decorated by Lamb, using a feather. Mouse Pup uses its tail to dip an egg into a jar filled with dye, while spotted Calf prefers to splatter his eggs with paint, creating a splotchy pattern that matches his coat. The farm hums with the awakening of spring, set against pastel green hills and soft golden hay. Who hides the eggs after everyone’s gone to sleep? Rabbit, naturally, on “hippity-hop-hopping legs.” Onomatopoetic action words are bolded throughout, while the text placement curves in waves, matching the plump roundness of the animal tots. The rhymes bounce softly along, just like Rabbit cautiously bounding with her wagonful of eggs to hide. Jelly beans and chocolate treats (which Piglet loves to “snuff-snuffle-snort”) are also included in this barnyard portrayal of holiday traditions.
A sweet Easter primer for the youngest of snuggle bunnies. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780374390587
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
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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