It’s the first five minutes of Disney’s Up for cat lovers—but with a happy ending.
A lonely, old man fends off the affections of an increasing number of stray kitties.
“Old man. / Big city. / Pretty kitty. / Pretty little itty-bitty / kitty cat. / Pretty kitty. Wants a pat. / Don’t you look at me like that. / I do not want a kitty cat. / SCAT!” Naturally, when the unnamed protagonist gets home, there are two meowing felines on his welcome mat, and he rebuffs them similarly. The pussycats are joined by a third. “Might have FLEAS. / Or some DISEASE. / Think you might be SIAMESE.” Again he tells them to scat. As each new puss arrives, he offers a different excuse for why he doesn’t want a cat—but sharp-eyed readers will note mementos in his house that hint of at least one cat in his past. With 10 on his mat, it starts to snow…and it turns out, one old guy has enough love for 10 cats, and they’re good for snuggles. Beaumont’s rhyme makes for a rollicking read as the protagonist’s resolve to stay alone is slowly cracked by cuteness. Laberis’ digitally created illustrations, a mix of spot and full-bleed, are irresistible in their scratchy, cartoon colorfulness, imbuing the big city with warmth. The old man is white and balding, with a fluffy gray mustache beneath an absurdly large nose.
It’s the first five minutes of Disney’s Up for cat lovers—but with a happy ending. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: June 12, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9232-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Godwin Books
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...
The sturdy Little Blue Truck is back for his third adventure, this time delivering Christmas trees to his band of animal pals.
The truck is decked out for the season with a Christmas wreath that suggests a nose between headlights acting as eyeballs. Little Blue loads up with trees at Toad’s Trees, where five trees are marked with numbered tags. These five trees are counted and arithmetically manipulated in various ways throughout the rhyming story as they are dropped off one by one to Little Blue’s friends. The final tree is reserved for the truck’s own use at his garage home, where he is welcomed back by the tree salestoad in a neatly circular fashion. The last tree is already decorated, and Little Blue gets a surprise along with readers, as tiny lights embedded in the illustrations sparkle for a few seconds when the last page is turned. Though it’s a gimmick, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it fits with the retro atmosphere of the snowy country scenes. The short, rhyming text is accented with colored highlights, red for the animal sounds and bright green for the numerical words in the Christmas-tree countdown.
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own tree that will put a twinkle in a toddler’s eyes. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-32041-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
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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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