A must-read-aloud text with memorable characters—Underwood and Hart make a perfect pair.
A playful pup, 10 mischievous mice, and some fashionable footwear unite in this seemingly simple counting book.
Hart pays homage to One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish with clever rhyming text that channels the classic on its opening spreads. But in lieu of fish are shoes as seen from a dog’s-eye view as footwear of varying styles, shades, and purpose step past the frolicking pup on its walk. Home again, canine curiosity is piqued as mice scramble and scurry, one by one, to occupy the various shoes. Onomatopoeia offers clues as to the mice’s whereabouts, and readers will delight in the floppy-eared dog’s search for them. With one lick it scatters the plump white rodents before heading out on another walk. While the nonlinear text begs to be read aloud, it’s Underwood’s skillful compositions and expressive characters that propel the sequencing of events, bringing the tale full circle. Done in pencil and marker with paper and digital collage, the graphically simplified shapes showcase the artist’s ability to execute form and design. Reminiscent of M. Sasek, Mary Blair, and other artists influenced by post–World War II optimism, Underwood’s nostalgic interpretation of modern living channels a visual style associated with feelings of opportunity and prosperity, appealing to readers of all ages.
A must-read-aloud text with memorable characters—Underwood and Hart make a perfect pair. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 9, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0094-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
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
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...
A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.
A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-070-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
