Cat and cartoon lovers, as well as romance aficionados, will lap up this cheerful confection, but it may not offer enough...
A stray cat finds love with a pampered indoor purebred.
Luis, a black-and-white tuxedo cat who was rescued as a kitten from a burning building, is based “(unofficially) at the fire station” but roams freely. His life plying the streets is presented as a positive if somewhat unrealistic one: He finds food and affection easily everywhere. Then one fateful night he takes “a wrong turn” and spies Tabitha, a Himalayan, through a glass door. It’s love at first sight for the two cats, but Tabitha’s owner isn’t interested in allowing the romance to flourish. Luis tries subterfuge, which works briefly, then resigns himself to losing his love. A chance sighting that leads to a heroic rescue turns the tide, allowing for a happily-ever-after ending. Mengert’s retro cartoon-style illustrations have a vaguely Disney-esque feel, particularly in the depiction of Luis and his friends and the backgrounds, which include stylized urban skylines as well as attractive interiors and garden settings. Attitudes are clearly conveyed in the lift of a chin or the proud raising of a tail. The varying skin tones of firefighters and some bystanders add a soupçon of diversity (Tabitha’s owner presents white). Short sentences and occasional repetition give Campisi’s writing a pleasing rhythm, but the relatively lengthy text, predictable plot, and sophisticated vocabulary can make for slow going at times.
Cat and cartoon lovers, as well as romance aficionados, will lap up this cheerful confection, but it may not offer enough substance to tempt them to repeat readings. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-64170-040-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Familius
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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
Hee haw.
The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
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BOOK REVIEW
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