Short and sweet, full of adventure and heartwarming moments.
A shrew moves into his own burrow and makes unlikely friends along the way in Agauas’ children’s chapter book.
Evert the shrew is one of seven siblings. He has grown tired of his crowded household and decides to go out to find a place he can call his own. Evert believes he has found just that underneath the roots of an old maple tree; however, he is in for a surprise when he learns that the nice garden just outside his new home is actually populated by humans (which Evert and his mother call “giants”) who react to his presence with less screaming and stomping than he expected. One giant even seems to think he’s cute, despite the stories his mother has told him of how mean they can be. Evert still tries to avoid them (just in case) and instead almost runs into a cat that lives in the house on the hill with the giants. Determined to keep a low profile, when Evert meets a frog named Goodwin, he is reluctant to befriend such a loud and friendly animal. Evert tries to live by his mother’s survival-oriented rules like “Keep to yourself” and “Mind your own business,” but he finds himself repeatedly roped into adventures with his neighbors, whether they’re taking him to get furniture or conscripting him for a rescue mission. Over the course of the story, Evert learns that maybe not all of his mother’s rules need to be followed—especially when he begins to reconsider whether he wants to be alone all the time or just sometimes. This children’s chapter book conveys a poignant message about the importance of friendship and community. Interspersed between the chapters are stunning watercolor illustrations that add to the lighthearted, whimsical tone of this tale. Evert is a stubborn yet endearing character whom readers will root for as he discovers the importance of forging bonds with others in his new home. (Even the humans surprise Evert with their kindness and show that his extreme caution can hinder more than help when he’s out on his own.) This is an engaging journey of self-discovery that is sure to keep a young reader’s attention.
Short and sweet, full of adventure and heartwarming moments.Pub Date: June 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781732271142
Page Count: 148
Publisher: Why Not Now? Children's Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 3, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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