A solid, if somewhat heavy-handed, lesson in friendship and staying true to oneself.
Why is everyone being so mean to the new girl?
Ruby is having fun with Nelly, the new girl at school, when Keya and Yaz invite Ruby to play. The note they slide over to Ruby reads, “Let’s play after school without Nelly.” Keya and Yaz are popular, so Ruby feels flattered. Still, Ruby’s uncomfortable when the other two start mocking Nelly’s shirt. Later, the three of them walk home, trading mean barbs about Nelly (“Do you think Nelly brushes her teeth?” “NO!” “Do you think Nelly has stinky feet?” “YES!”). It’s not until Nelly finds out what’s been going on that Ruby realizes they’ve gone too far and tries to make amends. This sweet but somewhat preachy tale has a clear message about the importance of kindness and comes to a happy if somewhat pedestrian ending; it turns out that Keya instigated the bullying because she thought that Nelly had rejected her at a party. Though these elements may make for a good teaching tool, they diminish the power of the story, which feels a bit reductive. Still, young children experiencing bullying may take solace in seeing the problem wrapped up so neatly and will relate to Ruby’s confusion and goodwill alike. In Wall’s brightly colored artwork, Ruby and Yaz are brown-skinned, while Keya and Nelly have paper-white skin.
A solid, if somewhat heavy-handed, lesson in friendship and staying true to oneself. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2024
ISBN: 9780807580219
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
