by Shelly Vaughan James ; illustrated by Matthew Rivera ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2020
Try it. You’ll like it.
Will little Lola the flamingo ever eat her flock’s preferred menu of shrimp?
Lola’s pink-flamingo parents urge their little, gray chick to eat shrimp so that she will share their rosy plumage and grow up big and strong. She demurs, finding the crustaceans “soggy,” “muddy,” and “yucky.” Instead, finicky flamingo Lola sneaks off and seeks out a variety of tropical fruits. An avocado turns her feathers green, pepino melons, yellow, and dragon fruits, fuchsia with black spots. “¡Ay de mí!” Mami cries at each instance. But it’s her parents’ encouragement rather than their alarm that encourages Lola to finally try to eat shrimp. But like Dr. Seuss’ protagonist with his green eggs and ham, it turns out that Lola does like shrimp after all when she finally gives them a chance. James’ text employs pattern, repetition, and alliteration, making it a pleasure to read aloud. Young listeners will key in on, as Lola’s parents do, the rebellious flamingo’s typical prelude to sneaking away for a nonshrimp snack: “Lola dillies on her right leg. / Lola dallies on her left leg. / She dips her black-tipped beak into the water.” Rivera’s expressive, comical illustrations capture Lola’s transformation with aplomb, concluding with a triumphant picture of the not-so-little-anymore chick taking flight, her plumage now blushing a bright pink. Backmatter facts about flamingos round out the offering.
Try it. You’ll like it. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-0970-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
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by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024
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
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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