The lazy farmer thinks he's safe when he promises to help his wife with the farm work "on the day that pigs grow in trees like apples," but she outwits him at this and every turn—and Anita Lobel makes the treeful of happy, apple-chomping, rope-harnessed pigs a properly silly sight. As it was the farmer who wanted the pigs in the first place and the wife who expressed qualms about the work involved, it's all the more satisfying to witness her ultimate victory—she hides the pigs, then refuses to help him look for them until "the day that you jump out of bed, put on your clothes, and promise never to be lazy again." And as Arnold Lobel lets the pictures tell much of the story, it's all the more delightful to see, each time, how the clever wife deploys the pigs. Charmingly foolish but far from frivolous, this has the roots and home truth of a sturdy folk tale (say "The Little Red Hen")—plus the blooming, bright good humor of Anita Lobel's flowery farm, where at the finally industrious day's end "the farmer, the farmer's wife and the pigs sat down [together] to a delicious dinner of corn pudding and hot corn muffins." (Just one question: considering who does most of the work throughout, wouldn't "the farmer" and "the farmer's husband" be a likelier designation?)
Pub Date: April 2, 1979
ISBN: 0590412809
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1979
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
The greeting-card art and jokey rhymes work for the baby-shower market but not for the youngest readers.
Animal parents declare their love for their offspring through rhymed puns and sentimental art.
The title sets the scene for what’s to come: The owl asks the owlet as they fly together, “WHOO loves you?”; the kangaroo and joey make each other “very HOPPY”; and the lioness and cub are a “PURRRFECT pair.” Most of the puns are both unimaginative and groanworthy, and they are likely to go over the heads of toddlers, who are not know for their wordplay abilities. The text is set in abcb quatrains split over two double-page spreads. On each spread, one couplet appears on the verso within a lightly decorated border on pastel pages. On the recto, a full-bleed portrait of the animal and baby appears in softly colored and cozy images. Hearts are prominent on every page, floating between the parent and baby as if it is necessary to show the love between each pair. Although these critters are depicted in mistily conceived natural habitats and are unclothed, they are human stand-ins through and through.
The greeting-card art and jokey rhymes work for the baby-shower market but not for the youngest readers. (Board book. 6 mos-2)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-1374-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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