A sweet problem-solving romp for the preschool set.
Parenteau’s beloved bears are back, this time at the sea.
The sun is shining and the waves are crashing. Yellow, Fuzzy, Floppy, and Calico tromp to the beach, pails and shovels in hand. They are going to build a castle that reaches all the way to the sky! Big Brown Bear is there as well, overseeing the construction. The bears fill the pails with sand (Big Brown Bear comically uses Calico’s bottom to pack it down) and triumphantly overturn them. Oh no! The sand is too dry. They move close to the water to try that sand. But that sand is too soggy! They stare down at the sodden mounds in puzzled consternation. Yellow offers a possible solution: “We’ll build in between. / The sand will be damp / and our towers won’t lean.” They move partway up the beach, and it works! But then, while carving out windows and doors as embellishment, the castle collapses. These five pals are the picture of grit and perseverance. They start again. Will they figure out what changes to make? Walker’s cuddly, roly-poly bears (whose rotundity is echoed by the soft mounds of sand), learn to roll with the punches. Parenteau’s brief quatrains occasionally demand a forced stress, but by and large they scan neatly for a bubbly read-aloud. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sweet problem-solving romp for the preschool set. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0838-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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