An attractive and engaging chapter book with a canine hero.
A dog visits Svalbard and makes friends with a polar bear.
In this fifth installment of an early reader series, small canine Lindie Lou gets to tag along with her White owner, Bryan, on a research trip. Bryan and his colleagues travel to Svalbard to study the aurora borealis. When Lindie Lou arrives in the Norwegian archipelago, she discovers that her sister, Ruby, who belongs to another scientist, is also there. While the humans focus on their research, Lindie Lou and Ruby are left to their own devices. In the course of exploring the hotel, they meet a young polar bear named Nanook. Nanook gradually convinces the dogs that he means them no harm—in part, by showing them that he is friends with other potential prey, like a reindeer named Modig—and takes them to a nearby ice cave. They see the Northern Lights on many occasions, and relish their time in the Arctic. On one visit to the ice cave, Lindie Lou gets trapped there without her friends. But by barking to draw attention, she is able to get the other animals to rescue her, leaving the humans astounded when a polar bear and a reindeer appear outside the hotel with Lindie Lou riding on Nanook’s back. Bender’s story is upbeat and enjoyable, and although it has clearly didactic elements—including science, geography, and social and emotional learning—the lessons rarely take center stage. Colorful illustrations by Willows appear throughout the book, complementing the text, which is itself part of the work’s visual appeal. Many words appear in different colors, fonts, and orientations, often related to their meanings (lake, for instance, is displayed in a watery blue while smiledis curved). A few of the font choices, particularly the one used for speed-related words, can be difficult to decipher at first glance, but on the whole, the book is well designed for beginning readers. The blend of plot and information makes the volume both educational and entertaining for children.
An attractive and engaging chapter book with a canine hero.Pub Date: April 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-943493-35-7
Page Count: 284
Publisher: Pina Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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