Entertaining holiday fare that pays homage to spending time with someone special.
Porcupine is a stickler for romance.
On Valentine’s Day, well-meaning Porcupine pokes various animal pals with quills, à la mythic Cupid striking the lovelorn with arrows. Unsurprisingly, his efforts at “fanning the flames of love” arouse angry, pained yelps. A bear huffily scolds Porcupine, giving him an idea: He secretly scrawls and posts a sign announcing a meeting in the forest, at which his pals gather to voice their disgruntlement. Porcupine, perched on a tree limb and dangling paper hearts above the assemblage, observes covertly and listens in on the proceedings with delight. He notes that he’s successfully stage-managed the perfect Valentine’s Day scene: The complainers all pair off in sympathy with each other, walk away happily, then engage in enjoyable activities together. However, this wouldn’t be an entirely happy Valentine’s Day story if the protagonist didn’t find a love connection of his own—cue the sweet twist at the end. This endearing, albeit predictable, holiday tale blends simple, expressive humor with warmth and sweetness. Young readers will giggle at the gentle figurative as well as metaphoric jabs that love, according to Porcupine, may entail. Colorful line illustrations capably evoke the setting as well as characters’ lively personalities. Porcupine and companion sport eyeglasses while some characters wear apparel; a bear carries a cane. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at 50.4% of actual size.)
Entertaining holiday fare that pays homage to spending time with someone special. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4814-8101-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
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
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
