Delightful spring and Easter fun.
Hap-pea-ness is guaranteed for all every Easter.
This brief, beguiling book describes that wonderful time of year in lilting rhyme with bright, cheery digitally rendered illustrations. The anthropomorphic peas, whom readers will recognize from Baker’s previous titles, frolic in the (usually) glorious balmy weather, appreciate the flowers, and go for rides on minuscule bikes. “Gentle showers, blooming flowers, longer sunny daylight hours”—Baker sings the praises of a lovely spring day. In a cute nod to the main characters, the words happy and yippee appear as hap-pea and yip-pea. And, of course, brightly decorated Easter eggs are on full and gorgeous display. (Readers get a glimpse of how the tiny peas make these eggs look so appealing; helicopters, construction equipment, and huge vats of dye are involved.) Words such as spring and eggs appear on the pages in softly colored, oversize capital letters, each one displaying a different delicate pattern. Young children will hone their color-identification skills, learn new words to describe patterns (“stripes, swirls, polka dots—hap-pea patterns, lots and lots”), and practice their search-and-find skills as they’re invited to search for eggs in the artwork. At the end, kids will be as overjoyed as the peas to find someone extra special among the eggs.
Delightful spring and Easter fun. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781665940245
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
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A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series.
Another creature is on the loose.
The long-running series continues its successful formula with this Hallmark card of a book, which features bright illustrations and catchy rhymes. This time, the mythical creature the racially diverse children set out to catch is an absent mom who does it all (lists of descriptors include the words banker, caregiver, nurse, doctor, driver, chef, housekeeper, teacher, entertainer, playmate, laundry service, problem solver, handywoman, cleaner, and alarm clock) but doesn’t seem to have a job outside the home and is inexplicably a dinosaur. As the children prepare gifts and a meal for her, the text becomes an ode to the skills the Mamasaurus possesses (“Day or night she’s always there. / She meets every wish and need”) and values she instills (“Sometimes life can mean hard work,” “kindness matters,” and “what counts is doing your best”). This well-intentioned selection veers into cliche generously sprinkled with saccharine but manages to redeem itself with its appreciation for mothers and all that they may do. Endpapers include a “to” and “from” page framed in a heart, as well as a page where young gift givers or recipients can draw a picture of their Mamasaurus.
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781728274300
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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