A celebration of modern-day fatherhood.
Newman and Ford pay tribute to the relationship between fathers and sons.
Dads and sons learn important life lessons while taking part in a variety of activities, from running along the beach and sitting by the campfire strumming a guitar to gardening and riding bikes. Newman showcases moments that help cement that unbreakable bond, as well as those that help young people learn what it means to be an emotionally intelligent person. We see dads and sons participating in activities that knock down gender stereotypes, such as sewing and baking—a longtime hallmark of Newman’s work. The fathers also teach their sons about the importance of empathy (“The day I broke his favorite lamp, / My daddy said, ‘That’s okay, Champ.’ / He didn’t yell or punish me. / He acted kind and lovingly”), being in touch with one’s feelings (“When I fell down and scraped my knee, My daddy took good care of me… / ‘It’s OK, Bud,’ he said, ‘to cry’”), and providing comfort when things get overwhelming. Newman’s singsong-y text gets these points across without ever veering toward didacticism or mushiness, although adults may want to pre-read before storytime due to some awkward wording in places. Rendered in neutral tones, Ford’s watercolor and colored pencil illustrations capture the warmth of parent/child bonds. Characters are diverse in skin tone and ability; one child uses a wheelchair.
A celebration of modern-day fatherhood. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781419740213
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
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
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Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees.
After Duncan finds his crayons gone—yet again—letters arrive, detailing their adventures in friendship.
Eleven crayons send missives from their chosen spots throughout Duncan’s home (and one from his classroom). Red enjoys the thrill of extinguishing “pretend fires” with Duncan’s toy firetruck. White, so often dismissed as invisible, finds a new calling subbing in for the missing queen on the black-and-white chessboard. “Now everyone ALWAYS SEES ME!…(Well, half the time!)” Pink’s living the dream as a pastry chef helming the Breezy Bake Oven, “baking everything from little cupcakes…to…OTHER little cupcakes!” Teal, who’s hitched a ride to school in Duncan’s backpack, meets the crayons in the boy’s desk and writes, “Guess what? I HAVE A TWIN! How come you never told me?” Duncan wants to see his crayons and “meet their new friends.” A culminating dinner party assembles the crayons and their many guests: a table tennis ball, dog biscuits, a well-loved teddy bear, and more. The premise—personified crayons, away and back again—is well-trammeled territory by now, after over a dozen books and spinoffs, and Jeffers once more delivers his signature cartooning and hand-lettering. Though the pages lack the laugh-out-loud sight gags and side-splittingly funny asides of previous outings, readers—especially fans of the crayons’ previous outings—will enjoy checking in on their pals.
Quirky, familiar fun for series devotees. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622360
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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