An enjoyable, gently empowering friendship story.
It’s easier to feel brave with a friend.
In this sequel to Share Some Kindness (2020), a brown bear and a brown-skinned girl named Coco excitedly practice their dance moves for the talent show. They’re different in some ways, but as best pals they complement each other. Bear is big, while Coco is small; Bear is shy, while Coco is brave. Bear acknowledges he would never be bold enough to do the talent show solo, though Coco says he makes up the best dance moves. When dress rehearsal starts, Coco discovers she’s lost her brave and can’t continue. Some animal buddies suggest strategies that might work (meditation, practicing before a small audience, shouting at the fear to let it know who’s boss); these help somewhat, but they’re not enough to convince Coco to perform. The friends must inform Mama Deer that they’re dropping out of the show, but they’ll have to traverse a wobbly rope bridge first. They’re both afraid, but Coco patiently helps Bear get across, and the pair make a terrific discovery: Coco hasn’t lost her brave—it was just “hiding behind your fear,” as Bear puts it. Coco chooses “to let [her] brave be bigger than [her] fear” and performs with Bear in the talent show after all, because she’s now ready for anything. Though predictable, this tale is sweet, reassuring, and uplifting. Coco and Bear are a relatable, supportive duo. The lively illustrations, created with watercolor and digital ink, are very appealing. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An enjoyable, gently empowering friendship story. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5344-9911-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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