A sympathetic exploration of the dance between agency and anxiety in conquering a common childhood fear.
In this Danish import, a child is certain there’s a monster in the attic.
Creepy monster faces and claws border some of the pages, show up in shadows, and are visible to the young narrator when the child’s eyes are closed. Most of the monochromatic settings are rendered in gray-browns. A few details appear in color: the youngster’s pinkish face and ruddy cheeks, small objects. Despite the menacing beasts conjured in the child’s imagination, there are cozy retreats, and although the mother admits that her offspring’s monster drawing is pretty scary, she explains that the overhead noise is just an animal “building a hidey-hole.” Their conversations contain wry humor. When invited to investigate, the child is too busy. “ ‘Busy doing what?’ Mom asks. ‘Something.’ I say.” Ultimately, the protagonist braves the steps to discover a pleasant space with “fun things.” The parent unearths a trumpet to add to the child’s one-man-band attempts to drown out the offending sounds. The concluding garret scene reveals a small pink monster mirroring the pose in the child’s drawing. The creature is wearing a striped shirt, spotted pants, and horned hat, just like the protagonist—food for thought. Birkjær’s portrayal of a supportive mother (who never panders) and Juul’s visual narrative depicting emotional growth in a subtle, inventive manner—starting with the contrasting endpapers—offer a refreshing departure from stories with similar themes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sympathetic exploration of the dance between agency and anxiety in conquering a common childhood fear. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9781945492747
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Transit Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023
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
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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