Is a pig the perfect pet? Readers might find themselves convinced by the end of this book.
This bright, illustrated story will resonate with every child who has wanted a special pet.
In this charming story, a young girl is determined that a pig would make the perfect pet. First she regales readers with surprising facts about pigs. Then she needs to convince her brother that a pet pig is a winning idea. Finally, brother and sister must persuade their mother that a pig would be a welcome and useful addition to their home. But that is easier said than done! What will it take for Mom to say yes? The pig, named Snowflake, is neither clean, nor easy, nor well-behaved, nor a prizewinner at the county fair, but in the end he brings something special to the table—something that not even Mom can object to! (Breathe easy: It’s not bacon.) With cheerful cartoon illustrations that pop from the page and a healthy sense of humor, this book resembles a child’s notebook, complete with handwritten checklists and enthusiasm. Young readers might take a cue from the author and write and draw persuasive essays of their own. Here, the protagonist uses the format to list not just the reasons why Snowflake is the best possible pet, but also the steps and planning required to convince family members of its merit, despite his trash-eating, dirt-bathing ways, giving readers a substantial model. The protagonist presents as a child of color and her brother as White.
Is a pig the perfect pet? Readers might find themselves convinced by the end of this book. (Graphic fiction. 5-10)Pub Date: March 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-8109-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
Hee haw.
The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
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