Nicely illustrated and entertaining picture book with some thoughtful ecological messages.
An oceangoing mouse returns the favor after being rescued from stormy seas in Ferruzzi’s picture book.
Malcolm the city mouse is going to realize his dream of traveling to a tropical island. He has a grand time as a stowaway on an ocean liner until the waves get choppy and he tumbles overboard. All seems lost as Malcolm struggles to stay afloat, until a friendly whale recognizes his plight and invites him to safety inside his “cavernous mouth.” Once there, Malcolm discovers a plastic jug wedged inside the whale’s throat. (Luckily, Malcolm enlists the help of a passing dolphin and dislodges the jug.) The next challenge is getting Malcolm to his island paradise. This lively tale is told in smoothly rhyming text (Malcolm: “Please! The Whale’s life is in danger! / Would you Swim with this line / And help out a stranger?”) and complemented by Suchit’s impressive full-page illustrations: a deft mix of collage, photographic images, and cartoons. Malcolm’s adventures comprise the book’s first half, and then Ferruzzi introduces the second with a “let’s find a solution for ocean pollution” theme. The well-considered “Kids and Parents Activities Section” that follows is full of useful educational information about mammal life (predominantly mice and whales, of course). There’s also a vocabulary list, a link to a learning exercise about ocean pollution, links to educational websites, several health-conscious recipes, and more. The book also strikes just the right age-appropriate tone throughout.
Nicely illustrated and entertaining picture book with some thoughtful ecological messages.Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2022
ISBN: 9780978796839
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Bella Bambina Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 5, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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
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