Another fun tale to act out in this series for youngsters.
A girl gets a magical birthday surprise in the newest movement-centered picture book from Once Upon a Dance.
Brielle is so excited for her birthday that she plans to get up early to have the longest day possible. A noise outside her bedroom door wakes her at 2 a.m., and she finds a mysterious gift: a magical birthday ball that transports her to a dance party on the moon. There, the Man in the Moon and his family serve delicious cupcakes and blue water, dancing with Brielle until she decides to go back home. When she wakes, she wonders if it was all a dream. It’s a whimsical adventure with no real conflict or message, but each page includes fun ideas for acting out the story, as ballerina Konora encourages readers to act out scenes using body movements. Sometimes these imitate the characters; others represent objects, such as the ball or fountain. Mongodi’s watercolor illustrations are eye-catching, and the small photos of movement positions are accompanied by text that’s slightly smaller than the story’s. Some positions aren’t pictured as clearly as readers might wish; the “monkey jump” is particularly hard to visualize. However, Konora’s encouraging tone stands out, showing kids that any movement can be part of a dance.
Another fun tale to act out in this series for youngsters.Pub Date: July 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-95-555502-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Once Upon A Dance
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers.
The bestselling series (How to Catch an Elf, 2016, etc.) about capturing mythical creatures continues with a story about various ways to catch the Easter Bunny as it makes its annual deliveries.
The bunny narrates its own story in rhyming text, beginning with an introduction at its office in a manufacturing facility that creates Easter eggs and candy. The rabbit then abruptly takes off on its delivery route with a tiny basket of eggs strapped to its back, immediately encountering a trap with carrots and a box propped up with a stick. The narrative focuses on how the Easter Bunny avoids increasingly complex traps set up to catch him with no explanation as to who has set the traps or why. These traps include an underground tunnel, a fluorescent dance floor with a hidden pit of carrots, a robot bunny, pirates on an island, and a cannon that shoots candy fish, as well as some sort of locked, hazardous site with radiation danger. Readers of previous books in the series will understand the premise, but others will be confused by the rabbit’s frenetic escapades. Cartoon-style illustrations have a 1960s vibe, with a slightly scary, bow-tied bunny with chartreuse eyes and a glowing palette of neon shades that shout for attention.
This bunny escapes all the traps but fails to find a logical plot or an emotional connection with readers. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-3817-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
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BOOK REVIEW
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
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