A visually appealing but overall lackluster attempt to explore the complexity of bad feelings.
A lost toy triggers a swath of emotions.
Lavender endpapers share a preview of anthropomorphized feelings, some of whom readers will meet in the book. As the book opens, a child plays with their favorite toy, Funn, an action figure with dark brown skin, while Happiness, a large, open-mouthed yellow creature, tags along. When Funn is lost one morning, however, Worry takes over. Then the narrator becomes Scared, and Anger follows. When the child realizes that Funn is broken, they initially blame little sister Katie—but soon feel Guilt when they discover that Dad is responsible. Enter Embarrassment and Sadness, but Katie shows the protagonist Kindness, and soon all is well. The emotions are depicted as solidly colored blobs set against negative space that makes them pop. The design is a thoughtful mix of cartoon speech bubbles, plain text, and onomatopoeia in large font. However, despite the enjoyably hyperbolic responses of the emotions, it’s a fairly simplistic take on a complicated topic. Negative emotions dominate until the conclusion, at which point the conflict wraps up far too neatly. Fans of the author’s other books—The Yawns Are Coming! (2020), The Giggles Are Coming! (2021)—may enjoy this one, but it’ll likely leave most readers cold. Human characters have light brown skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A visually appealing but overall lackluster attempt to explore the complexity of bad feelings. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 9, 2023
ISBN: 9780593616611
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Rocky Pond Books/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
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
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