A fun case of elementary deduction.
A mystery lover finds a way to appreciate Valentine’s Day.
Pippa the porcupine would rather read a Sherlock Gnomes book than do almost anything else—especially participate in Valentine’s Day projects like the one her teacher, Mr. Tod, has assigned the class. Whoever heard of making lists of “things that take up room in your heart”? At lunch, all the students share their heart-shaped pizzas—except for Pippa. Everyone has a best friend—except for Pippa. But what’s this? Someone’s pink, heart-shaped “love list” has attached itself to Pippa’s quills. Pippa is one of the items included on the list—somebody likes her! (Also on the list: Berry Berry Twigs cereal, the Beastly Boys, baking, and painting.) But who can it be? Pippa resolves to ferret out the answer. After wearing her Beastly Boys T-shirt and trying to share Berry Berry Twigs cereal with her classmates, Pippa is no closer to solving the mystery. What is she missing? After reviewing photos of all the love list activities she took part in, she discovers the identity of her secret friend. Valentine’s Day won’t be so lonely after all! Marsh’s focus on the mystery friend invites readers to go a-sleuthing alongside our curious porcupine. Lobo’s fanciful woodland classroom and schoolyard are filled with whimsical detail, from the boy band T-shirt to the bedecked cervine model whom the kids draw during art class. Sharp-eyed detectives will soon spot the mysterious friend. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A fun case of elementary deduction. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Dec. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35221-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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