A mostly delectable choice for late fall/early winter readings.
On a snowy afternoon, a mouse grandmother’s cooking aromas attract the noses of her neighbors.
A nice warm sopa, just enough for one, will make things cozy in Abuelita’s sagebrush house. As she cooks, stirs, tastes, and adds ingredients to her pot, the distinct smell of piñon smoke drifts through the wood. “Someone’s cooking something good.” Chipmunk, Rabbit, and Old Bear are determined to find out. “Is it sopa? Neighbors stare. / Three move closer, sniff the air.” But when Abuelita shows them her blue corn soup, the three friends can tell there is enough for only one. Not to worry; Abuelita has a plan for sharing. With each neighbor bringing the last of the fall harvest to Old Bear’s lair, the blue corn soup turns into a friendship stew for all to enjoy. Detailed illustrations drawn in graphite and watercolor washes elicit the charm of these anthropomorphic forest animals dressed in scarves, vest, and hat. The alluringly repetitive rhyme employs the motif of three and moves the story along in an engaging iteration that includes a refrain that’s altered slightly for each character. “Piñon smoke drifts through the wood. / Someone’s cooking something good. / Rabbit bounces, sniffs about. / Is it sopa? He’ll find out.” Three Spanish words—Abuelita, sopa, and amigos—sprinkled throughout are easily understood and add a Latinx flavor, though the decision to italicize the name “Abuelita” is distracting and somewhat off-putting.
A mostly delectable choice for late fall/early winter readings. (recipe) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58536-967-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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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