Useful information and important insight delivered in mediocre verse and via gender stereotype
A bossypants bee learns a lesson about the value of the contributions of others.
Little Spider loves almost everything about her garden home—but the “bizzz, buzzz, boss-boss-boss” of the worker bee as she makes her rounds is, frankly, a buzzkill. Fulfilling the “bossy female” stereotype, Bossy Bee lords it over the rest of the garden creatures, explaining the importance of her job as a pollen collector and distributor to the worm, the ladybug, and the lizard. With keen understanding of the psychology of a narcissist, Little Spider asks Bossy Bee for advice—and then quickly traps her in her web. Unable to move, Bossy Bee can only watch as the worm, the ladybug, and the lizard perform their essential tasks: The worm enriches the soil; the ladybug eats aphids; the lizard eats slugs. Chastened, Bossy Bee declares, “Oh, Spider, I promise to stop being bossy. / I’ve learned a lesson today. / I’ll respect other creatures and value their jobs. / We should work as a team every day!” It’s a valuable lesson even though it’s imparted in earnest doggerel (all the creatures speak in rhyme). Tolland’s painterly illustrations emphasize the lushness of the garden, sometimes at the expense of clarity of composition—with so many bright colors to look at, it’s hard for the eye to focus.
Useful information and important insight delivered in mediocre verse and via gender stereotype . (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-76036-056-6
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Starfish Bay
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree.
A Christmas edition of the beloved alphabet book.
The story starts off nearly identically to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989), written by John Archambault and the late Bill Martin Jr, with the letters A, B, and C deciding to meet in the branches of a tree. This time, they’re attempting to scale a Christmas tree, not a coconut tree, and the letters are strung together like garland. A, B, and C are joined by the other letters, and of course they all “slip, slop, topple, plop!” right down the tree. At the bottom, they discover an assortment of gifts, all in a variety of shapes. As a team, the letters and presents organize themselves to get back up on the Christmas tree and get a star to the top. Holiday iterations of favorite tales often fall flat, but this take succeeds. The gifts are an easy way to reinforce another preschool concept—shapes—and the text uses just enough of the original to be familiar. The rhyming works, sticking to the cadence of the source material. The illustrations pay homage to the late Lois Ehlert’s, featuring the same bold block letters, though they lack some of the whimsy and personality of the original. Otherwise, everything is similarly brightly colored and simply drawn. Those familiar with the classic will be drawn to this one, but newcomers can enjoy it on its own.
A successful swap from coconut tree to Christmas tree. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665954761
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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
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