A good reminder that a stroll through the woods should provide lots of opportunities to slow down and notice.
A whimsical tale of a child who listens hard in enjoying the woods.
A kid wearing a yellow shirt, reddish-orange overalls, and gray lace-up shoes tells readers, “The forest has lots to say…if you listen.” Every spread features onomatopoeic text that simulates the sounds of trees, leaves, animals, and other living things, and the child notices all of this. On one double-page spread, three squirrels nibble orange nuts or fruits in a tree while the child stands underneath, eyes closed, soaking in the sounds. The kid, who has pale skin and thick, black hair rendered in strokes that give it a ropy look, walks with an adult into the forest on the title page, and, on the last page, they leave together, hand in hand. But for most of the story, the young protagonist enjoys the forest alone, confident, safe, and immersed. The mixed-media illustrations, awash in greens and blues, portray the animals somewhat anthropomorphically. For instance, in the final scene, 13 animals appear, and all but one of them looks adoringly at the humans exiting the woods. While the illustrations offer young children opportunities to name different animals, scientifically oriented readers might be disappointed that vague anatomical details make some of them impossible to identify. The story kicks off the Sounds of Nature series.
A good reminder that a stroll through the woods should provide lots of opportunities to slow down and notice. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77164-736-6
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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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