A sound lesson in making friends—and setting boundaries.
Is it ever polite to say no to a friend?
Norton, a scruffy anthropomorphic dog, lives at number 42. With most of his neighbors too busy to make friends, Norton is thrilled when a bear moves in next door. He invites the bear to dinner, and they spend a delightful evening. The bear asks to borrow Norton’s fluffy slippers, and Norton is too polite to refuse. However, he spends a sleepless night worrying that the bear might never return his favorite slippers. The bear’s borrowing quickly gets out of hand. Soon, the bear isn’t even knocking at the door before trying to borrow Norton’s comfy chair. Norton finally explodes, chastising the bear for not returning his things. The embarrassed bear shuffles home and returns with everything he has borrowed. Norton puts on his favorite fluffy slippers, makes a cup of tea, plays his flute music, sits in his comfy chair, and is finally at peace. Until…“Ding! Dong!” The bear returns. Only this time, he respects Norton’s boundaries and asks to borrow one thing…Norton himself. In this Australian import, delightfully detailed pastel drawings create a quaint modern urban neighborhood filled with animals and diverse humans. The images effectively show Norton’s escalating frustration and capture the bear’s misguided attempts at friendship and sincere apology; readers who have been in Norton’s or the bear’s shoes will emerge enlightened. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sound lesson in making friends—and setting boundaries. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781922610553
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Berbay Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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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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