Avuncular and appealing, Farmer George—along with his wife, Dotty, and the company of animals that populate his quaint English farm—once again rise to the challenge presented by life in the countryside. Farmer George, all muttonchops and Wellingtons, must go to the aid of his sheep when a snowstorm covers their dinner. To get a bail of hay to the upper pasture, he enlists the aid of his trusty dog and horse. Upon reaching the sheep, Farmer George learns that a lamb, Larry, is stuck in a snowdrift. With all the creatures working together, Larry is retrieved and brought back to the farmhouse to warm up. Those who read this season’s other Farmer George book (Farmer George and the New Piglet, see above) won’t be surprised to learn that Larry and his caretaker snooze the night away together only to wake to the rest of the farm animals who’ve come to the parlor to check on them. Ward renders the proceedings in highly narrative, warmly tempered artwork. The story has its moments of staggering sweetness, but the genial atmosphere of cooperation and rhythms of farm life strike elemental chords. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2002
ISBN: 1-86205-516-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Pavilion/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2001
Watching unlikely friends finally be as “happy as two someones can be” feels like being enveloped in your very own hug.
What to do when you’re a prickly animal hankering for a hug? Why, find another misfit animal also searching for an embrace!
Sweet but “tricky to hug” little Hedgehog is down in the dumps. Wandering the forest, Hedgehog begs different animals for hugs, but each rejects them. Readers will giggle at their panicked excuses—an evasive squirrel must suddenly count its three measly acorns; a magpie begins a drawn-out song—but will also be indignant on poor hedgehog’s behalf. Hedgehog has the appealingly pink-cheeked softness typical of Dunbar’s art, and the gentle watercolors are nonthreatening, though she also captures the animals’ genuine concern about being poked. A wise owl counsels the dejected hedgehog that while the prickles may frighten some, “there’s someone for everyone.” That’s when Hedgehog spots a similarly lonely tortoise, rejected due to its “very hard” shell but perfectly matched for a spiky new friend. They race toward each other until the glorious meeting, marked with swoony peach swirls and overjoyed grins. At this point, readers flip the book to hear the same gloomy tale from the tortoise’s perspective until it again culminates in that joyous hug, a book turn that’s made a pleasure with thick creamy paper and solid binding.
Watching unlikely friends finally be as “happy as two someones can be” feels like being enveloped in your very own hug. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-571-34875-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
Canine Kipper squires his piglet friend, Arnold, from "Aa is for ant" to "Zz is for Zebra" in a big, playful, alphabet story that is just the ticket for turning pre-readers into new readers. Inkpen adds a bit extra to most of the literary encounters: "Cc" is not just for caterpillar, but Crawly caterpillar; "Nn is for No, not now" (said to the zebra); and "Xx" for Xugglybug, an "interesting insect" picked up at "Ii." The best moment is when the audience is invited to help Kipper out when his mind goes blank at "Kk." Young children will also painlessly discover an array of additional concepts as, for instance, Kipper and Arnold go up and down a hill, discover that an elephant is too big to fit into Arnold's collecting box, or learn that the first letter of "gnat" is silent. Acres of white space surround the large-type text and simply drawn figures without overwhelming them, making this equally suitable for sharing with one child or a group. Just about the cutest puppy in a favorite series achieves a stellar new success. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-202594-4
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2001
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