A more-than-just-OK tale for new readers who appreciate lively friendship stories.
Having good friends is always OK.
Pete, a colorful parrot, lives alone on an island in the middle of the sea. Pete’s OK with this. A sign reading “Pete,” nailed to a palm tree, announces the parrot’s presence. One day, Turtle comes, asking to stay; Pete says OK, and the pair enjoy fishing together. Dog arrives next and wants to stay. Pete issues the usual response, though a trifle doubtfully, and the trio play companionably. Then Elephant comes. Pete agrees, looking even more skeptical—the little island is looking smaller by the minute—but all get along. What comes next? A storm. That’s not OK, but Elephant helps her friends, letting them nestle on her body when they’re blown off the island. The following morning, Elephant and Dog depart, and Pete invites them back anytime they want to return; Turtle remains with Pete on the island. Pete’s not alone anymore—which is very OK. A new sign—reading “and friend”—goes up under “Pete.” This cute, simple story will be great fun for children getting into the reading groove. Each page features just one, or occasionally two, brief sentences with predictable patterns. Emergent readers will hone their skills on basic sight words and words that use long and short vowel sounds. The dynamic illustrations depict expressive, wide-eyed pals and help focus attention on the spirited action.
A more-than-just-OK tale for new readers who appreciate lively friendship stories. (Early reader. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780823454785
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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