An endearing tale that will especially resonate with dog lovers.
A pooch gets a new “leash” on life.
Lucy’s thrilled when Dad brings home Clyde, a sleek black greyhound who was once a racing dog. Lucy quickly spoils him: Clyde wears designer outfits, eats the finest meals, joins exclusive dog clubs, and even has a social media account. Lucy gives her pet a collar bearing a new name: “Cino.” But Clyde, who eked out a tough existence at the racetrack, can’t get used to this luxurious lifestyle. He leaves home and roams the streets for hours until he finds himself back at the track. Sad memories of his former life impel Clyde to flee. Soon it’s dark and he’s lost, so he takes shelter under a bridge. He realizes he misses home and his pampered life, especially Lucy’s cuddles. He awakens to…Lucy. She and some of his dog pals have been searching for him. Lucy takes him home, where she gives him something special—“the best gift he’d ever received”—a collar labeled “Clyde.” Children will be pleased with the satisfying ending to this sweet Australian import; they’ll be delighted to know this dog will continue to receive the devoted care he and all pets deserve while still maintaining his own identity. The story also offers a glimpse into the dreary life of some racing dogs. The lively, stylized, bold illustrations have an art deco look and will draw readers in. Lucy is brown-skinned; background characters are diverse.
An endearing tale that will especially resonate with dog lovers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781761210808
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little Hare/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
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
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Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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