Unconditional love and security abound.
As they move through a dark wintry landscape, a parent promises to protect their child in every way.
Together, the tan-skinned pair count the stars, “tiptoe over ice / tumble through the snow,” and push through the winds. Through it all, the adult promises, “I’ll be your polar bear.” The two humans seem to morph into an adult polar bear and a young cub. The bears skate on the ice, crunch through the snow, and cuddle in ice caves, with the adult bear draping a paw over the little one. The parent bear echoes the human: “I promise and I swear / that I’ll be your polar bear.” If the little one is alone in the sea on an ice patch, the parent promises to rescue them, and if the cub is too tired to walk, then a piggyback ride will be the way home. As the story draws to a close, the figures are seen approaching their house and then safe and warm inside. The parent’s voice narrates the tale in gentle, first-person rhyming verses. Groenink’s beautiful, wintry, blue-lit illustrations bring the action to life in a variety of illustrations. Some images are full-page, while some pages are made up of horizontal panels; vignettes framed in white are also included as well as several text-free pages. At one moment, toward the end, as the parent and child enter the house, shadows make it unclear if the figures are humans or bears; what’s never uncertain, however, is the duo’s love for each other. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Unconditional love and security abound. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-525-51639-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 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
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