Readers will want to head out to discover a collection of their own.
What’s a fox kit to do when show and tell is all about collections and he doesn’t have one?
Poor Lawrence freezes when his teacher makes the announcement. His animal classmates are giddy with excitement and quickly chime in with what they will bring: playing cards, coins, ribbons, combs (the sheep’s collection!), and marbles. The fox’s body language, sad face, and silence say it all when they ask him what he will bring. At home, Papa consoles Lawrence and tells him he knows a place to find a collection. The next day, the two set off into the forest. But their first few attempts fail, then it begins to rain, and then Lawrence and his papa become separated. But while the small fox is without his papa, he is not alone. His whispered and hallooed comments get replies from the trees, which shower him with leaves. Lawrence is fascinated by their many colors and shapes—it’s the perfect collection for show and tell…and to share among his equally fascinated classmates. Salati’s illustrations, drawn with pencil and colored digitally, have a soft, textured look. The animals are thin and angular, walking on two legs (though only adults sport clothing), and the colors are muted, but the characters express clear emotion. Rear endpapers show labeled outlines of the leaves of 14 trees.
Readers will want to head out to discover a collection of their own. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 9, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4847-8058-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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