By turns goofy and gross—a tale of fun surprises and deepened connections.
Cousins and on-again, off-again BFFs Tee and Dee compete over everything—even the gross stuff.
The girls will be spending their summer vacation on the tropical island where their aunt lives. Their rivalry reignites as soon as they arrive. When Auntie decides to make fruit smoothies, the two besties are tasked with collecting mangoes from the nearby trees. The simple job quickly turns into a contest. “I’m going to find the perfect mangoes,” declares Tee. “My mangoes are going to be the best,” replies Dee. And off they go, darting through the grove of trees, finding most of the golden offerings unsatisfactory. When the cousins notice something sparkly on the ground, collecting these “beautiful pebbles” swiftly becomes their new focus. Their game turns into another heated debate before the girls finally realize that their friendship is ultimately what matters most. The revelation that the pebbles are in fact goat poop brings this lively summer outing to a hilariously charming conclusion; both girls gaze in horror as the horned culprit munches on discarded mangoes. The cousins’ warm, picturesque island community is illustrated in bright colors. Latif’s cartoonish images feature motion lines and exaggerated facial expressions, while Young’s dialogue rings true. All characters present Black.
By turns goofy and gross—a tale of fun surprises and deepened connections. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: yesterday
ISBN: 9781771475488
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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