A vividly illustrated and relatable tale of a jumpy sea creature and her loving parent.
A young sea turtle finds bravery with support from her reef family in Smith’s picture book.
Lulu feels safe as she swims around in the mangrove roots closely tethered to her mama. After rushing sea waters knock the tiny turtle off her perch on her mother’s shell, she’s tossed about and briefly faces her greatest fear of being left alone, before her mama quickly returns. Lulu soon learns that although some things in the oceans are frightening, others are helpful, and she builds trust in herself and her community with her mama’s guidance. Öztürk’s full-color illustrations bring the seabed to life with electric colors and many species in action, including a puffed-up pufferfish and a wood-hauling octopus. Surprisingly, nowhere does the author use or define the term hullabaloo, and although young readers may enjoy the sound of the word, they’ll surely wonder about its meaning. Being in unfamiliar places can be quite scary for children without caregivers around, and this book effectively encapsulates such feelings in its portrayal of the vastness of the deep; however, it also allays such fears with a soothing, motherly tone and assurance of neighborly support.
A vividly illustrated and relatable tale of a jumpy sea creature and her loving parent.Pub Date: Nov. 15, 2024
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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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