A welcome return for Little Owl.
In this sequel to Srinivasan’s debut picture book, Little Owl’s Night (2011), the little owl explores the unfamiliar territory of the daytime world.
His big black eyes almost pop out of his head as he sees the sun for the first time and all the wonderful things it illuminates: birds, flowers, bees and butterflies—which he at first mistakes for moths, his only prior experience of winged insects. In this sparkling new world, dragonflies skim over the water, snakes slide and glide, turtles sun themselves beside the pond, and wolf pups play in the sunshine. Little Owl’s old friend, Bear, is awake now, ready to show the little bird the beauty of a shimmering rainbow over a waterfall. As the sun sets and the moon rises, the world becomes more familiar to the little owl, although there are still some surprises, such as the discovery that a friendly bunny lives in a burrow right underneath his treetop home. At last he is able to fulfill his dream of showing Bear the moon. The tiny owl flits through richly colored landscapes populated with graceful, stylized renderings of the animals and birds. Through carefully controlled application of color washes and linear patterns, Srinivasan conveys the magic of a fantasy world that will delight very young children and their caregivers.
A welcome return for Little Owl. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-670-01650-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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