A passable presentation on dealing with negative emotions.
Can’t a puppy just have a grumpy day?
“One sunny, shining, beautiful day, / Rue woke up feeling grouchy and gray.” Black-furred pug puppy Rue thinks everything is wrong, from her bunchy socks to her crunchy breakfast. Her mom tries a kiss, and her teacher asks her to smile, but nothing helps. At recess, her friends try to get her to play, but Rue just wants to pout. Then Rue gets an idea. She makes a sign inviting everyone to her pout party, where no one can be happy or excited. No one wants to join…except her white-furred kitten friend Joy, who fakes a grumpy face. Rue tries to out-grumpy Joy, but Joy “grumble[s] and groan[s], And stomp[s] with her feet.” Others think it looks like fun and join in. Rue coaches the whole class, and they all make horrible faces…which makes Rue giggle. And everyone laughs. Then Joy assures Rue that next time she feels grumpy, Joy will still be there for her. The rhyme might clunk once or twice and go for the obvious throughout, but children will easily see themselves in the animals of various species that populate McColl’s simple tale. The big-eyed, clothed animals in her cartoon illustrations are expressive and colorful. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A passable presentation on dealing with negative emotions. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-64823-017-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: POW!
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
Safe to creep on by.
Carle’s famous caterpillar expresses its love.
In three sentences that stretch out over most of the book’s 32 pages, the (here, at least) not-so-ravenous larva first describes the object of its love, then describes how that loved one makes it feel before concluding, “That’s why… / I[heart]U.” There is little original in either visual or textual content, much of it mined from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. “You are… / …so sweet,” proclaims the caterpillar as it crawls through the hole it’s munched in a strawberry; “…the cherry on my cake,” it says as it perches on the familiar square of chocolate cake; “…the apple of my eye,” it announces as it emerges from an apple. Images familiar from other works join the smiling sun that shone down on the caterpillar as it delivers assurances that “you make… / …the sun shine brighter / …the stars sparkle,” and so on. The book is small, only 7 inches high and 5 ¾ inches across when closed—probably not coincidentally about the size of a greeting card. While generations of children have grown up with the ravenous caterpillar, this collection of Carle imagery and platitudinous sentiment has little of his classic’s charm. The melding of Carle’s caterpillar with Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE on the book’s cover, alas, draws further attention to its derivative nature.
Safe to creep on by. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-448-48932-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2021
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Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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