A primer for good social graces—not just the standard “please” and “thank you”!
A dapper sloth explains the importance of being courteous.
Clad in a top hat and polka-dotted cravat, Emilio sets out to meet Neeta Swan for scones and tea. Many people believe that sloths move slowly, but Emilio has a different perspective: “I think certain things are worth taking my time.” What if Kumiko Nightingale were to sing a lovely song? The accompanying image shows Emilio happily taking in Kumiko’s music. And what if Emilio met a new friend? An illustration shows Emilio making the acquaintance of an adorable little mouse. One needs time to make a proper introduction and inquire about a friend’s day. Emilio also stresses the importance of listening: “If she is sad, I listen. If she is happy, I listen.” Remembering a new friend’s name is imperative, too. After all, “every name has a story!” The visuals depict Emilio journeying to meet Neeta, pausing to interact with others, and demonstrating respect and empathy for everyone. Ahdieh’s purposefully meandering text is filled with funny asides and sound insights alike; this tale goes beyond typical etiquette-focused stories, getting to the heart of what it means to be considerate. Marley’s cartoonish artwork anthropomorphizes the animals with quirky accessories. Readers will chuckle as the final illustration zooms out for a hilarious twist.
A primer for good social graces—not just the standard “please” and “thank you”! (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781534486614
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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