Though clearly a message about the dangers of overscheduling children, the lesson goes down easily; caregivers may even take...
Flo is the smallest member of a large family of overprogrammed pandas.
She is intensely curious and easily distracted. She explores “the immense and mysterious sea” in her bathtub, eccentrically dressed in a woolen cap and snorkel. While getting ready for the day she dances to whale song. The other pandas have been waiting for her for a while. They are dressed in sporty garb and holding unicycles. They wait while Flo works her way through a large stack of pancakes and savors the last strawberry. When she finally joins the others, they show her their elaborate schedule for the week, with myriad activities listed. Flo’s personal activities consist of greeting birds, clouds, butterflies, and roses with exquisite good cheer: “Hello, Roses that I would like to stop and smell.” When the other pandas give up and abandon her for their next scheduled activity, which ends in mild calamity, readers won’t be surprised that it’s Flo who comes to the rescue. The deadpan text works beautifully with speech balloons that extend characterizations. Fleck’s whimsical, bold, bright, acrylic illustrations set the tone perfectly for this lighthearted tale, Flo and the other pandas standing out against muted pastels. Flo is distinguished from the other pandas by accessories, her size, and her smile.
Though clearly a message about the dangers of overscheduling children, the lesson goes down easily; caregivers may even take note. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-374-30526-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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