An appropriate-enough option for caregivers who seek books that present basic messages of the benefits and beauty of...
Stewart uses a group of sheep friends to relay messages of tolerance, acceptance, and nonjudgment.
Brian is a happy and accepting sheep who greets each new addition to the flock as a potential friend and playmate. But as it grows, some of the newcomers have rules for who they will or won’t play with. Tracey and Frank “only like sheep with curly horns.” Stanley doesn’t like sheep with “plain white wool.” Brian is saddened by his new friends’ intolerance and goes off alone. When a wolf threatens all, Brian’s bravery saves the day, along with teaching the rest of the sheep that working and being together benefits everyone. In this obvious “message” story, the writing is somewhat simplistic and repetitive; despite this, young readers might have difficulty identifying and keeping track of the large cast of characters without adult guidance. The illustrations are distinctive and vivid; fans of Eric Carle will find the textured, collagelike pictures reminiscent of his classic work. There are no humans in the book, but the animal characters are plainly meant to represent a wide range of diversity.
An appropriate-enough option for caregivers who seek books that present basic messages of the benefits and beauty of diversity for the very young. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-947888-18-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flyaway Books
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25425-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
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