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THE LETTER

Name: THE LETTER
Author: Irene Verdú
ISBN: 9781623544812

by Irene Verdú ; illustrated by Verònica Aranda ; translated by Luisana Duarte Armendáriz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2024

A sweet, thoughtful story with a pointed message about expressing thankfulness.

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A windblown letter effects happy change.

A lost letter falls into a puddle; the water washes off the writing on the envelope. Who sent it, and who is it intended for? The wind opens the letter, which simply reads, “I love you.” Deciding that this beautiful message should be delivered, the wind lets “the letter choose its own destiny.” It makes its way to curmudgeonly Mr. Cat, whose motto is “better a lonely cat than a disappointed one!” Reading the missive cheers him; he searches for the sender. He encounters Ms. Goose. Did she send it? Mr. Cat carries her heavy basket for her, but she hurries away, forgetting to thank him. Next, he spots Mrs. Hen. Perhaps she sent it! He rescues one of her chicks from a tree but receives no thanks. Later, he jump-starts Shepherd Dog’s motorcycle—again, no thanks. Back home, he discovers his grateful neighbors bearing delicious treats, apologetic they hadn’t acknowledged his kindness. Mr. Cat finally feels loved. And the letter? The wind blows it from Mr. Cat’s house—to where? This poignant, uplifting Spanish import offers a satisfying ending and delivers a meaningful message about the importance of gratitude. Children will welcome the opportunity to discuss the letter’s next destination. Clad in old-fashioned garments such as bowler hats and bonnets, the anthropomorphic animals cut whimsical figures in the expressive cartoon art, which incorporates onomatopoeic sound effects.

A sweet, thoughtful story with a pointed message about expressing thankfulness. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024

ISBN: 9781623544812

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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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)