A well-crafted, informative, and entertaining insect adventure.
A young butterfly prepares for her first migration in this illustrated children’s book.
Kai is a purple butterfly who lives in “Taiwan, a beautiful island also known as the Butterfly Kingdom.” She’s preparing for her first migration from the northern tip of Taiwan to the southern district of Maolin. Ami, her older sister, teaches her special butterfly dances along the way. They stop at various Taiwanese landmarks as they travel, including Cape Santiago Lighthouse, Golden Waterfall, Red Hair Fort, Freedom Square, and “the tallest building in Taiwan, Taipei 101.” Kai is unsure of her ability to learn the butterfly dances from Ami. But Ami proves to be her cheerleader, offering her plenty of positive encouragement. As they get closer to their destination, they traverse the Taiwan Central Mountain Range and “pass by trees that reach the moon.” They arrive at the Butterfly Highway and meet a number of new friends who guide them on their way. When Ami is injured, Kai must take her place in the Winter Festival dance show. Kai again lacks confidence in her abilities, and Ami reassures her. Over the course of this book, Lee offers young readers a motivational story of butterfly migration while also sharing informative tidbits about famous locations throughout Taiwan; a glossary provides additional facts about specific spots. In addition, there’s an effective can-do message, shown through the example of Ami and, later, through Kai’s actions. Su’s anthropomorphic butterfly and animal illustrations are colorful and whimsical in ways that are sure to appeal to young children. An array of characters of different ages appear in the images, including an elderly woman who uses a wheelchair.
A well-crafted, informative, and entertaining insect adventure.Pub Date: Feb. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-913891-17-6
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Balestier Press
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The greeting-card art and jokey rhymes work for the baby-shower market but not for the youngest readers.
Animal parents declare their love for their offspring through rhymed puns and sentimental art.
The title sets the scene for what’s to come: The owl asks the owlet as they fly together, “WHOO loves you?”; the kangaroo and joey make each other “very HOPPY”; and the lioness and cub are a “PURRRFECT pair.” Most of the puns are both unimaginative and groanworthy, and they are likely to go over the heads of toddlers, who are not know for their wordplay abilities. The text is set in abcb quatrains split over two double-page spreads. On each spread, one couplet appears on the verso within a lightly decorated border on pastel pages. On the recto, a full-bleed portrait of the animal and baby appears in softly colored and cozy images. Hearts are prominent on every page, floating between the parent and baby as if it is necessary to show the love between each pair. Although these critters are depicted in mistily conceived natural habitats and are unclothed, they are human stand-ins through and through.
The greeting-card art and jokey rhymes work for the baby-shower market but not for the youngest readers. (Board book. 6 mos-2)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-1374-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© 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.
