No snoozefest here—great fun.
It’s not Woodstock. It’s not Coachella. It’s SnoozeFest—and it’s for sleeping!
Snuggleford the sloth lives in the rural town of Snoozeville. In her bedroom, in a red bed, she sleeps for a month at a time, smiling. Only one thing gets her up and out the front door: SnoozeFest. Carrying a snazzy suitcase with zigzag stripes, Snuggleford joins a crowd—bears, koalas, cats—on the bus to the NuzzleDome. Once there, she chooses her sleeping nook (hammock No. 16), buys snacks (milk and honey) and purchases band swag. A pajama fashion show spotlights the famous designers Louis Futon and Diane von Firstinbed. Bands play, among them Chamomile Rage and Drowsy Duet. Participants fall blissfully asleep throughout, as do some musicians (mid-gig!). While adults will recognize the festival concept better than kids, preschoolers will love the sleep-tailored diction (“naptacular”; “tire-riffic”) and rollicking verse, such as this description of a critical component: “Some of the blankets are in mint condition. / Others collectible, rare, first edition. / Some are so old, they’re all tattered and torn. / This sloth has had hers since the day she was born.” Litten’s digitally created illustrations don’t quite match the wit of Berger’s verse, but they’re quaint and homey, and her nighttime-at-the-fest spreads are done in an inviting deep purple with sparkling lights.
No snoozefest here—great fun. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8037-4046-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 30, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer.
Actor Metz and songwriter Collins join illustrator Fields in their second faith-related title for young children.
Instead of focusing on the language of prayer—what to say or how to say it—this book explores a topic central to the lives of the very young: their feelings around talking to God. Rhymes and near-rhymes in the AABB verses enumerate the simple challenges and triumphs experienced by a series of animals: “Sometimes I’m sad, not sure what to do. / There are days I feel teary, unhappy, or blue. / I fell off a log. I’m embarrassed and hurt. / My coat and paws are all covered in dirt.” An accompanying illustration depicts a sad wolf pup, a definite contrast to its siblings, who are delighting in their play. The highlight of the book is Fields’ animal characters. Whether happy, nervous, or sad, their expressive faces are easy to read, and their feelings will be familiar to young tots. The beaver’s frustration is palpable, and the tears in the scared raccoon’s eyes may just make readers’ own eyes well up. Some of the animals have a God stand-in to help them with their feelings—a friend or family member—but the final spread shows all the individual animals coming together in a couple of group hugs that express where children can find support (and sweetly defy predator–prey relationships).
A tender book to help little ones make sense of the emotions around prayer. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780593691366
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
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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