The illustrations outshine the weak story and counting practice.
A counting rhyme updated for our times.
Ten little squirrels are playing by a tree. The first asks, “Look what I see!” The second responds with “A man with a dog.” (In the original 1970 book of the rhyme adapted by Martin, the man had a gun instead.) Squirrels three through nine are full of advice about what to do: “The fourth one said, / ‘No, let’s hide in the shade.’ // The fifth one said, / ‘I’m not afraid.’ ” The rollicking verses, similar in bounce to Martin’s famous Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?(1967), keep the pages turning to the climactic 10th squirrel and his gigantic full-spread sneeze, which gains the delighted dog’s attention (“Time for some fun!”) and sends the squirrels off in a flurry of fur, each a distinct color. While the delightful colors and textures of the collaged illustrations will attract readers’ eyes, the counting part leaves a bit to be desired, especially since there are no numerals, and there’s little story to amuse. The 10 squirrels appear all together only at the end, and even then, we see only the arm and the tail of one squirrel, so readers may count only nine. Backmatter includes a web of squirrel facts, each with a question for readers. “Squirrels live on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. Do squirrels live near you?” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
The illustrations outshine the weak story and counting practice. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-61254-600-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Brown Books Kids
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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