A clever, new rhyming spin on the old moral about judging individuals by their appearances.
A misunderstood crocodile only wants lemonade but his sharp teeth keep scaring off the humans who could serve him some in this debut picture book.
All a friendly crocodile wants is some refreshing lemonade. He finds a lemonade stand, but the kids running it are so terrified, they flee in panic Still without lemonade, the crocodile drives to a fancy restaurant, where again he is feared because of his looks. Finally, at a burger joint, he orders lemonade from a distracted cashier. When the crocodile has a chance to save the day, the cashier realizes that there’s something good behind the reptile’s startling appearance. The moral of not judging people (or animals) by how they look is a familiar one, but this tale has an ingenious twist. Crocodiles are dangerous, after all—especially for a thief trying to rob a store serving lemonade. Ripley’s short phrases, consistent scansion and rhymes, and witty repeating phrases invite young readers to join in. The people who run from the reptile “see his pointy teeth / and not the crocodile” and decide that “getting eaten by a crocodile / does not sound very fun.” The author’s illustrations are reminiscent of social commentary cartoons with their exaggerated caricatures, which work well alongside the rhymes. Humans of several ages, sizes, and skin tones are depicted, and a gag about the young cashier who’s glued to his cellphone will make adult readers chuckle.
A clever, new rhyming spin on the old moral about judging individuals by their appearances.Pub Date: July 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5255-7459-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: March 20, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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
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