The two pals from last year’s standout Dog and Bear return with three more stories that explore the little wrinkles that can develop in even the smoothest friendships. In “Ice Cream,” an angry Dog declares that he is running away from Bear, even going so far as to pack his sticks before Bear’s offer of ice cream makes him think twice. “Happy Birthday, Bear!” finds Dog baking a cake for Bear—with strawberry frosting and rainbow sprinkles—and then yielding to the temptation to eat all but the candle before Bear sees it. Finally, a dyspeptic Dog wears Bear out in “Sweet Dreams” by exploiting his friend’s offer to help. Each wee tale, told almost entirely in dialogue paired with expressive, black-outlined paintings on a white background, develops the two characters’ distinct personalities further—impulsive Dog and deliberate Bear are perfect foils. Variations in perspective, body language and expression convey a wealth of information to complement the straightforward text, inviting readers to make their own interpretations and leading them to an understanding of the complex dynamics of friendship. (Picture book/early reader. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59643-273-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2008
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
Turkey’s in the “kind of trouble where it’s almost Thanksgiving...and you’re the main course.” Accordingly, Turkey tries on disguise after disguise, from horse to cow to pig to sheep, at each iteration being told that he looks nothing like the animal he’s trying to mimic (which is quite true, as Harper’s quirky watercolors make crystal clear). He desperately squeezes a red rubber glove onto his head to pass as a rooster, only to overhear the farmer suggest a poultry plan B when he’s unable to turn up the turkey. Turkey’s horrified expression as he stands among the peppers and tomatoes—in November? Chalk it up to artistic license—is priceless, but his surroundings give him an idea. Good fun, but it may lead to a vegetarian table or two. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5529-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2009
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