A tremendous example of collective efforts in the wake of disaster.
A community rallies to rescue a horse from a flood, led by a child.
At first, the nameless protagonist is afraid to ride the horse, named Dancer (“because of how he moves his hooves”). But the two quickly bond. Every day, they joyfully “fly” through the fields—until the day Dancer warns the child and Mom that there’s danger ahead. It’s been raining for days, and the valley where they live is about to flood. Mom and the young narrator must leave Dancer behind as they evacuate by helicopter. The child is determined to help Dancer “fly” to safety. The protagonist imagines Dancer soaring with wings, and the next day, Mom and the child ask a policeman for help. He refers them to a woman who helps horses, who in turn finds a helicopter pilot and a veterinarian. “If we can make a horse fly, we can do anything,” the young narrator reflects. Readers will be moved by how the protagonist’s flights of fancy turn into concrete solutions. The story is a much-needed reminder about the importance of community; it also offers a crucial takeaway: Even in the face of natural disaster and trauma, we must never stop attempting the seemingly impossible. Lane’s impressionistic illustrations ramp up the drama but never get too scary. The author notes that she was inspired by actual events in 2021, in the Pacific Northwest. Mom and the child are brown-skinned; the community is diverse.
A tremendous example of collective efforts in the wake of disaster. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 14, 2024
ISBN: 9781459837393
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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