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LITTLE PENGUIN GETS THE HICCUPS

Name: LITTLE PENGUIN GETS THE HICCUPS
Author: Tadgh Bentley
ISBN: 978-0-06-233536-4

From the Little Penguin series

by Tadgh Bentley ; illustrated by Tadgh Bentley ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2015

Like the readers’ shouts, this is not quite strong enough to do the trick.

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A penguin with the hiccups exhorts readers to help him cure his problem.

First-time author/illustrator Bentley jumps on the interactive bandwagon with the fanciful tale of an anthropomorphic penguin. Staring out at and addressing readers directly, the small penguin offers a friendly hello and makes cryptic mention of another character (“Franklin said you would be here soon”). He then launches into his tale of woe: a bowl (or several) of chili has given him a case of the hiccups that he just can’t shake. After trying a series of silly remedies suggested by his penguin friends, he asks readers to shout “Boo!” The first try doesn’t work, so a second, louder effort is solicited and seems to help. But the ultimate cure will come as a surprise to listeners—and may startle them more than a little. Hand-drawn, digitally colored illustrations offer occasional hints of the coming plot twist, but for the most part they merely reflect the text. Cartoon-style penguins, simply drawn ovals with large eyes and blobby yellow toes, are pictured against an interestingly textured blue and white world of water and ice. A somewhat static feel to the art works against the effort to engage listeners, as does a main character who is just a shade too generic.

Like the readers’ shouts, this is not quite strong enough to do the trick. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-06-233536-4

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
ONE CHICKEN NUGGET
by Tadgh Bentley ; illustrated by Tadgh Bentley

- BOOK REVIEW
THE CASE OF THE NIBBLED PIZZA
by Tadgh Bentley ; illustrated by Tadgh Bentley

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE PENGUIN’S NEW FRIEND
by Laura Driscoll ; illustrated by Tadgh Bentley

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry

- BOOK REVIEW
TIME FOR SCHOOL, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

- BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S VALENTINE
by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by John Joseph

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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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)