A second-rate story in need of a visual overhaul.
A gorilla child learns to accept an aspect of his physical appearance in this Dutch/Flemish import.
A mother and father gorilla welcome their newborn son into the world. Albert has large feet, something the entire family, even Albert, appreciates—that is, until he grows older and starts to resent them, wishing he had “perfect feet” like his friend Rex, a brown monkey. One day, the two friends get lost in heavy rain while playing in the jungle, and it’s Albert’s large footprints that save the day and lead them home. The author drives the message home when Rex tells Albert: “I wish I had feet like yours. You’re my hero, Albert.” The illustrator, using a palette dominated by the greens of a jungle, anthropomorphizes the family’s world in every way: Baby Albert uses a bottle and plays with human toys and, later, sleeps in a bed. It’s refreshing to see two male characters display affection for each other in a time of need: When Rex gets scared at one point, Albert wraps him in a hug (using those big feet) and comforts him. But at the same time, some readers may be dismayed to see anthropomorphized simians, which have traditionally been used in the U.S. to dehumanize Black people, once again at play in a picture book. The story lacks nuance; as a result, its message of self-acceptance falls flat. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.2-by-19.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
A second-rate story in need of a visual overhaul. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-60537-592-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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