NOBODY HUGS A CACTUS

Name: NOBODY HUGS A CACTUS
Author: Carter Goodrich
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0090-0

by Carter Goodrich ; illustrated by Carter Goodrich ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 16, 2019

Caregivers of grumpy young listeners may not be entirely convinced by Hank’s relatively rapid turnaround, but the closing...

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A grumpy cactus learns that sharing affection feels good.

Hank sits in a round pot in the window of an adobe structure surrounded by desert. According to the straightforward text, “It was hot, dry, peaceful, and quiet. Just the way Hank liked it.” Soon enough, however, the peace is punctured by a number of creatures passing by. Rosie the Tumbleweed calls a cheerful greeting, as do a timid turtle, a jackrabbit, and a coyote, among others. Hank hollers at each of them, but after a cowboy points out that “nobody hugs a cactus,” Hank can’t quite shake the feeling that he’s missing something. When Rosie rolls by again and does him a favor, he decides to reciprocate, which leads to a hug after all. Watercolor illustrations allow the paper’s texture to show through and feature sandy golds, subtle greens, and an expanse of sky that moves from clear blues to pinks, reds, and purples to indicate the passage of time. Goodrich imbues Hank with plenty of personality. He’s spike-headed with two stubby arms, and he looks alternately cranky, forlorn, shocked, and friendly. Elongated shapes and unusual perspectives add interest and complement the low-key, conversational text.

Caregivers of grumpy young listeners may not be entirely convinced by Hank’s relatively rapid turnaround, but the closing thought (“After all, it’s better to be stuck in a hug than stuck all alone”) is one that can be embraced by all. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 16, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-5344-0090-0

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
WE FORGOT BROCK!
by Carter Goodrich ; illustrated by Carter Goodrich

- BOOK REVIEW
MISTER BUD WEARS THE CONE
by Carter Goodrich ; illustrated by Carter Goodrich

- BOOK REVIEW
ZORRO GETS AN OUTFIT
by Carter Goodrich & illustrated by Carter Goodrich

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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GRUMPY MONKEY

by Suzanne Lang ; illustrated by Max Lang ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 15, 2018

Though Jim may have been grumpy because a chimp’s an ape and not a monkey, readers will enjoy and maybe learn from his...

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It’s a wonderful day in the jungle, so why’s Jim Panzee so grumpy?

When Jim woke up, nothing was right: "The sun was too bright, the sky was too blue, and bananas were too sweet." Norman the gorilla asks Jim why he’s so grumpy, and Jim insists he’s not. They meet Marabou, to whom Norman confides that Jim’s grumpy. When Jim denies it again, Marabou points out that Jim’s shoulders are hunched; Jim stands up. When they meet Lemur, Lemur points out Jim’s bunchy eyebrows; Jim unbunches them. When he trips over Snake, Snake points out Jim’s frown…so Jim puts on a grimacelike smile. Everyone has suggestions to brighten his mood: dancing, singing, swinging, swimming…but Jim doesn’t feel like any of that. He gets so fed up, he yells at his animal friends and stomps off…then he feels sad about yelling. He and Norman (who regrets dancing with that porcupine) finally just have a sit and decide it’s a wonderful day to be grumpy—which, of course, makes them both feel a little better. Suzanne Lang’s encouragement to sit with your emotions (thus allowing them to pass) is nearly Buddhist in its take, and it will be great bibliotherapy for the crabby, cranky, and cross. Oscar-nominated animator Max Lang’s cartoony illustrations lighten the mood without making light of Jim’s mood; Jim has comically long arms, and his facial expressions are quite funny.

Though Jim may have been grumpy because a chimp’s an ape and not a monkey, readers will enjoy and maybe learn from his journey. (Picture book. 4-8)