by Fiona Robinson illustrated by Fiona Robinson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2011
Guffaws and surprising twists (plus Timbertooth’s exaggerated tantrums) will have youngsters clamoring for a repeat...
World-famous conductor Herbert Timberteeth (an aptly named beaver) is about to debut his new song, “What Animals Like Most.”
The curtain parts with a horizontal gatefold to reveal all of the performers stretched out on stage. The lions begin the show. They unenthusiastically sing, “We are lions, and we like to prowl.” Reluctant wolves chime in with “We are wolves, and we like to howl.” The pigeons predictably follow suit. “We are pigeons, and we like to coo.” But the cows, with mischievous grins, sing, “We are cows, and we like to … / … dig,” gleefully whipping out spades and shovels to emphasize their point. Dig?! A stern glare from Timberteeth stops the shenanigans, and the song continues. But soon other animals start changing the lyrics too. Do kangaroos really like to hop around? No, they much prefer Ping-Pong. Do worms like to wiggle? No, they like to bowl! Timberteeth throws his baton down in disgust. These darn animals are ruining the show. Or maybe they are just tired of being misunderstood! Robinson’s pen-and-ink illustrations pack plenty of visual wit, too. A shrimp (who likes to ski) has multiple broken legs, and by the end, the monkeys (who like buffets) are snoozing off food comas.
Guffaws and surprising twists (plus Timbertooth’s exaggerated tantrums) will have youngsters clamoring for a repeat performance. Brava! (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8976-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
Share your opinion of this book
More by Fiona Robinson
BOOK REVIEW
by Fiona Robinson ; illustrated by Fiona Robinson
BOOK REVIEW
by Fiona Robinson ; illustrated by Fiona Robinson
BOOK REVIEW
by Eva Ibbotson ; illustrated by Fiona Robinson
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025
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
Share your opinion of this book
More by Alice Schertle
BOOK REVIEW
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry
BOOK REVIEW
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph
BOOK REVIEW
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph
by James Dean ; illustrated by James Dean ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
Share your opinion of this book
More by Kimberly Dean
BOOK REVIEW
by Kimberly Dean ; illustrated by James Dean
BOOK REVIEW
by James Dean & Kimberly Dean ; illustrated by James Dean
BOOK REVIEW
by Joan Holub ; illustrated by James Dean
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.