An amusing, cat's-eye tour of the White House that even dog people won’t mind joining.
The first cat describes a day at the White House.
The frisky feline's day begins early. What’s on the to-do list? Sampling the pastry chef’s whipped cream, checking equipment with the chief engineer, testing the keys on the Eagle-Leg Piano, escorting uninvited critters to the Rose Garden, greeting Oval Office visitors, and more. But the day’s highlight is the arrival of some VIPs: Very Important Pupils. “There are a lot of things in the White House that say DON'T TOUCH. I'm not one of them,” the animal purrs as racially diverse schoolchildren lavish it with attention. Even the harried chief usher, who's not exactly a cat person, can't resist petting the narrator in a quiet moment. Of course, it’s also the privileged puss’s duty to wreak some havoc. In contrast to the matter-of-fact narration, Daggett's charming, digital illustrations humorously depict the cat’s antics and quirky proclivities as it glances disdainfully at a portrait of a former first dog, knocks over television cameras during a press briefing, ruins a table centerpiece while trying to reach a chandelier, and so on. Interestingly, the first family is never shown. After tagging along with the tabby on its daily escapades, young readers can peruse the backmatter, which includes a labeled, double-spread, cutaway illustration of the White House and fun facts about the edifice, including anecdotes about real-life cats who have lived there. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An amusing, cat's-eye tour of the White House that even dog people won’t mind joining. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 25, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-313886-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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