A dog-positive story with a misstep or two.
What to do when you’re afraid of dogs?
Every day after school Hannah’s papa meets her at the bus stop. Her friend and neighbor, Violet P., is welcomed by her mom and dog, Sugar. The other kids greet the pooch with a friendly pat, but Hannah, perhaps a kindergartner, steadfastly refuses, glancing at Sugar warily. One day, Violet reports that Sugar’s missing; a neighborhood search fails to uncover her. On a starry night, as Hannah sits outside pondering what being lost feels like, she hears a whimper and investigates. Surprise! It’s Sugar, her leash entangled on a bush. Stifling her instincts to flee, Hannah musters her courage and reaches out a comforting—and rescuing—hand. Sugar, who’s heretofore noticed this timid girl sympathetically, gratefully nuzzles her. This is a sweet tale with a satisfying ending; expressive, childlike paint-and-ink illustrations drive the story well. Though all the human principals are white (or very light-skinned), there is a black family in the neighborhood. Dog lovers will cheer that Hannah has joined their ranks; dog-fearing children may feel emboldened, though it’s unlikely that they’d come to an animal’s aid without first seeking adult help—and arguably they shouldn’t, an important point the story doesn’t make. Another missing point of logic involves the apparent close proximity of Sugar to Hannah’s house: how did no one hear the crying dog sooner?
A dog-positive story with a misstep or two. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4197-1890-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
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
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