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BIG BOB, LITTLE BOB

Name: BIG BOB, LITTLE BOB
Author: James Howe
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4436-9

by James Howe ; illustrated by Laura Ellen Anderson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 11, 2016

Free to be Big Bob, Little Bob, and Blossom.

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Friendship transcends gender norms.

When Big Bob moves next door, Little Bob is leery of befriending him. The main problem isn't their size difference, it’s that they enjoy different things. Without malice apparent in the cheery, digital cartoon depictions of the smiling, light-skinned boys, Big Bob tells Little Bob, “Boys do not play with dolls….They play with trucks.” Little Bob isn’t persuaded and continues playing with his dolls, but Big Bob’s antics with his trucks and a ball destroy Little Bob’s playtime tableaux. Big Bob apologizes and explains, “You were supposed to catch the ball,” but Little Bob responds that he’s not good at playing catch. They can’t find common ground in attempts at shared activities, but this lack of connection never seems rooted in animosity, even when Big Bob remarks on Little Bob’s wearing a dress. Then Blossom, also light-skinned, moves in nearby, and she teases Little Bob about playing with dolls. This time, he’s hurt, and Big Bob comes to his defense: “Boys can do whatever they want!” Chagrined, she leaves, but Little Bob calls her back. Blossom returns, sharing that she likes playing with trucks, which Big Bob affirms since “Girls can do whatever they want, too.” The children then happily engage in play with their various toys, offering an ending that seems righteous if a bit forced.

Free to be Big Bob, Little Bob, and Blossom. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-7636-4436-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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MILO WALKING
by James Howe ; illustrated by Sakika Kikuchi

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BUNNICULA
developed by James Howe & Deborah Howe adapted by James Howe & Andrew Donkin ; illustrated by Stephen Gilpin

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TYRONE O’SAURUS DREAMS
by James Howe ; illustrated by Randy Cecil

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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

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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)