Zany yet utterly sweet—and a winning combination of storytelling and visuals.
When Horace Norton finds a mouse in his hat, he lets it stay but quickly begins to accumulate animals.
Pale-skinned, mustachioed Mr. Norton—with a gray beard to match—is a kind man. So kind, in fact, that when he discovers that the little rodent has made a house in his hat, he leaves it be and makes his way to work. When he notices birds in his bicycle basket, he’s equally obliging; he also decides not to disturb the squirrel in his shoe, the stoats in his satchel, and the cats in his coat. Mr. Norton’s rising frustration with his growing zoo finally culminates in an explosive response: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” The animals scurry off, and Mr. Norton realizes just how loud and lonely silence can be. A surprising gift provides a welcome fix for his solitude. Children are sure to pick up on—and enjoy—the repetition and alliteration of this cumulative tale. Mr. Norton’s slim figure and long face give him a distinctive look. The animals who join his menagerie are adorable, making even their mischief sweet. Readers will enjoy lingering on the energetic, chaos-filled pages where the animals make mayhem.
Zany yet utterly sweet—and a winning combination of storytelling and visuals. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781664300651
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: tomorrow
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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
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