An old tale that should have been left alone.
A roly-poly bear, suitcase in hand, knocks on the door of a young child’s brownstone.
The unnamed narrator informs the bear that bears don’t belong in houses. “ ‘Go home, bear.’ And that was that.” But of course it is not. The bear returns with his flamingo friend, so the child says, “Go home, bear. And take that flamingo with you.” Many readers may wonder who wouldn’t want to at least chat a minute or two with a friendly bear and a dazzling flamingo, but this narrator is a tough nut. Maybe there is some earlier animosity that readers are not privy to? The bear is persistent. It comes down the chimney, joins in an art session, and takes a bath with the protagonist. Finally, the narrator yells at the bear to go home. And the bear does. Suddenly the narrator is desperate. Where is the bear? A search commences. The bear returns. Taylor’s art is appealingly retro, making the most of the silliness of the premise. (The narrator is depicted with pale skin, short, brown hair, and wears T-shirts and shorts.) Aside from the silliness, however, little clicks in this story. Why should the bear come back after that rude treatment? What has triggered the narrator’s change of heart? Yes, new friendships are strange, but this one will need therapy right from the beginning.
An old tale that should have been left alone. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2098-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2018
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
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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