A charming, colorful, and hopeful tale of patience and change.
Kueng presents an illustrated children’s story of friendship, told through the eyes of a lovable dog.
After dalmatian Luna moves to a new home, she finds herself missing the pigeons that would sing outside her window where she used to live. She steps outside into her new yard, hoping to make some new friends. She happens upon a caterpillar and is determined to become her pal, but when she returns the next day, she discovers something strange where the caterpillar used to be. Heidi Hummingbird swoops down and hints at the important transformation that’s taking place inside what Luna learns is a cocoon. The dog’s curious, innocent response to the mystery of metamorphosis effectively captures the curiosity of a child, and young readers will find her reactions relatable and funny. Lopes’ colorful, endearing illustrations bring a sense of whimsy and magic to this story of friendship and nature. When Luna finally meets Lily, who’s now a butterfly, the joy and wonder of making new friends shines through; however, this book also sneaks in a science lesson about the life cycle of a butterfly, clearly illustrated for easy comprehension. The story moves along with steady dialogue, although the simple, sometimes formal language doesn’t always match the playfulness of the images. Still, the way that Luna explores her backyard, searching for connection, offers a lovely example of what can happen when one slows down and mindfully takes notice of the details of the natural world. Kueng's book also offers a subtle lesson about waiting patiently for friendship to blossom—a heartwarming message for kids and caregivers alike. Children will walk away from this book looking forward to wonderful discoveries of their own, just as Luna wonders, “Could today be the day?”
A charming, colorful, and hopeful tale of patience and change.Pub Date: March 27, 2024
ISBN: 9781779440600
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Miriam Laundry Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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