Poor Charlie is stuck with parents who have no appreciation for her wild, sometimes messy imagination in Lobel’s amusing US debut. First, Dad is unable to see the beauty in the chocolate pudding comprised of “dark crumbly earth . . . a handful of pebbles for raisins and a sprinkling of sand for sugar,” that Charlie creates for Grandpa in the kitchen. To make matters worse, the big storm that washes over her boats in the bathroom lake translates into a soaked floor for angry Mom. With Panda the stuffed bear as her silent ally, Charlie decides to run away to “somewhere nice . . . where there’s no cross people.” A journey to the backyard jungle starts out well, and Charlie enjoys a game of shipwreck in the green waves of grass. But the fun ends abruptly when she gets thirsty, and the weather becomes dark and rainy. Despite Panda’s tendency to panic, Charlie never loses her nerve and is even able to help Grandpa to safety when he shows up lost in her jungle. Rich, colorful illustrations add a charming element to this tale that poignantly depicts the conflict between a child’s languorous fantasy world and her parents’ harried reality. Charlie looks particularly cherubic in her bright yellow sweater adorned with pompom tassels, purple and orange polka-dot rainboots, and red-apple-rosy cheeks. A happy ending with a reassurance that, yes indeed, many people do love Charlie. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2002
ISBN: 1-56148-368-0
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Good Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author’s track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25248-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
SEEN & HEARD
Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale.
Actor, social media star, and entrepreneur Brown pens a joyful paean to positive thinking in her children’s debut.
Brown-skinned Tab rides a strawberry-themed bike, accompanied by a curly-haired black dog, Grady. Tab’s dazzling smile and wide eyes signal the upbeat theme echoed in the text, celebrating the sun’s warmth, which “fills everyone up with joy.” But Tab’s mood shifts, as it’s a “cloudy and gray” June day. Alert readers will spot the dog’s smiling countenance and note glimpses of sunny yellow butterflies and flowers. Mama’s reassurance that there’s “always a chance” for sunshine also underscores the optimism. Tab and Grady bike through suburban streets “to find the sun.” Along the way, the two stop to assist a neighbor building a birdhouse, loft a kite for friends Frankie and Fonte, and lend a hand to others, all while still having fun. Mama steers Tab toward an eventual understanding of the real source of joy: Though the sun didn’t appear, “I brightened everyone’s day!” The illustrations subtly underscore the message of this radiant story as touches of gold lighten the palette, which ends with sunny brilliance. Most characters read Black, though Tab’s community includes people who vary in skin tone, body type, and ability.
Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 11, 2025
ISBN: 9780063342262
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: today
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
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