Wry humor with a bouncy beat: a treat for storytimes.
An elephant lives in a tree. Wait…what?
Bird, Squirrel, and Monkey raise objections. Bird wants to nest there, Squirrel wants to store nuts in it, and Monkey wants to swing in its branches. They know elephants don’t belong in trees. But Larry the pachyderm remains unperturbed. In fact, Larry enjoys the neighbors’ attempts at eviction. Bird’s head-pecking is soothing; Squirrel’s throwing nuts is treated as sport; and Monkey’s tail-swinging is encouraged. Then, a shattering noise pierces the landscape: A giant bulldozer rumbles up, threatening to topple the tree. Individually and collectively, Bird, Squirrel, and Monkey work mightily to thwart the machine, to no avail. Meanwhile, Larry slurps up a prodigious amount of water and squirts it out with such force that it pushes the bulldozer. In saving the tree, Larry wins the others’ respect and appreciation and proves that elephants definitely belong in trees. A cute surprise twist at the end raises the specter of a new, unexpected neighbor moving in. This is a giggle-inducing story about acceptance and turning the tables on expectations, and it works equally well as a laptime or group-session read-aloud. Enhancing the aural fun is the liberal use throughout of emphatic display type that cues readers to emphasize some words for comic dramatic effect, as well as abundant onomatopoeia. Illustrations are quirky and energetic; the expressive animal characters have lively personalities.
Wry humor with a bouncy beat: a treat for storytimes. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4598-2599-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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