A sweet read-aloud choice for little ones who themselves might earn the occasional “Gently, Bentley.” (Picture book. 3-6)
Five-year-old Bentley is so full of energy that he is trying to family and friends alike.
Bentley Oliver Anthony Brown. It’s a big name for a young rhino, but he’s substantial enough to cause trouble when he gets excited. His mother loves her “bright little spark,” but she is constantly telling him, “Gently, Bentley.” (The phrase is 1950s-era British slang for “slow down.”) The understated text lets the cartoonish illustrations show the chaos Bentley causes. When the text notes Bentley’s energy and excitable nature “can get him into trouble,” the illustrations document the havoc: paint on the walls, lamps tipped over, laundry pulled from the clothesline, a mess at the breakfast table. And at school, he’s in such a rush all of the time that school supplies go flying, as do his classmates when he chases them during recess (called “the break” in this English import). What will Bentley be like with a new baby in the house? Two double-page spreads nicely develop tension as Bentley spots the sleeping baby. Young readers will anticipate the worst but will be pleased to see that Bentley has an endearing side his mother knew was there all along. While the endpapers show paint that didn’t quite hit Bentley’s easel (in a pleasing abstract art style), the final pages show the many ways Bentley is a loving and attentive big brother.
A sweet read-aloud choice for little ones who themselves might earn the occasional “Gently, Bentley.” (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78628-203-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Child's Play
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer.
Actor Metz and songwriter Collins join illustrator Fields in their second faith-related title for young children.
Instead of focusing on the language of prayer—what to say or how to say it—this book explores a topic central to the lives of the very young: their feelings around talking to God. Rhymes and near-rhymes in the AABB verses enumerate the simple challenges and triumphs experienced by a series of animals: “Sometimes I’m sad, not sure what to do. / There are days I feel teary, unhappy, or blue. / I fell off a log. I’m embarrassed and hurt. / My coat and paws are all covered in dirt.” An accompanying illustration depicts a sad wolf pup, a definite contrast to its siblings, who are delighting in their play. The highlight of the book is Fields’ animal characters. Whether happy, nervous, or sad, their expressive faces are easy to read, and their feelings will be familiar to young tots. The beaver’s frustration is palpable, and the tears in the scared raccoon’s eyes may just make readers’ own eyes well up. Some of the animals have a God stand-in to help them with their feelings—a friend or family member—but the final spread shows all the individual animals coming together in a couple of group hugs that express where children can find support (and sweetly defy predator–prey relationships).
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780593691366
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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