What if you only imagined good what ifs?
A “Porky Panicker” what ifs his party plans to death.
Pig is a kind, fun, and generous friend; all his friends think so, and they all feel pretty lucky to have Pig for a companion. One day, Pig is struck by the brilliant idea to throw a party, but then he comes down with an attack of the what ifs. Suddenly the pleasantly smiling porker’s mouth turns down, becomes an O of horror, arranges itself in a rigid, toothy, fake grin as he imagines each scenario: A lion eats the invitations (or the guests!), no one comes, or they come but no one has fun. Worst, “What if…no one really likes me at all?” A relieved smile ghosts over Pig’s face when he imagines cancelling the party. Though friend Mouse supports Pig in this decision, Mouse is behind the scenes working to return all the friendship Pig has showered on his friends, reassuring a sad Pig that “Things don’t stay gray for very long.” Indeed, Pig’s loyal friends prove that while sharing their own worries and fears with one another, thereby lessening their impacts. “What if I have the kindest, most generous and fun friends a pig could meet?” Pig happily concludes. Hunter’s simple, brightly colored illustrations keep the focus on the animal characters, each one drawn with just a few characteristic traits to enable species identification. Readers will certainly empathize with Pig and his emotions. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at 27.9% of actual size.)
What if you only imagined good what ifs? (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-298609-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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