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A GREAT BIG NIGHT

Name: A GREAT BIG NIGHT
Author: Kate Inglis
ISBN: 978-1-77108-908-1

by Kate Inglis ; illustrated by Josée Bisaillon ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2021

Riff-raff rules in this joyful, playful, high energy “great big night."

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The arrival of a troupe of itinerant musicians means it’s time for a “great big night” for all—except one grumbling grouse. When the “music train,” consisting of three frogs on painted bicycles with an eclectic assemblage of musical instruments, pedals into the “great green forest,” excited animals quickly gather. As the frogs play loud, bouncy music, the animals dance jigs, spin reels, sing, and stomp until Grouse intervenes, shouting, “No good comes from a ruckus,” and ordering them to “lay off this…this…RIFF-RAFF!” Then a thunderstorm sends everyone into hiding during a “long and boggle-eyed night,” but the following morning the sun shines for all—except Grouse, whose home and treasures have been destroyed. Before Grouse knows what’s happening, however, the frogs start playing their music, drawing all the animals “lickety-split” to help their grouchy, needy neighbor. The rhythmic, vibrant verse text, peppered with lively onomatopoeic sounds, dances off the pages, begging to be read aloud. Wild, whimsical, and slightly surreal illustrations, rendered in sprightly collage and brilliantly colored paint, perfectly capture the raucous energy of the jiving frogs and hilarious bevy of cavorting animals as well as the terror of the fierce storm and the harmonious, attitude-altering camaraderie of neighbors helping one another. Riff-raff rules in this joyful, playful, high energy “great big night." (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: March 1, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-77108-908-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Nimbus Publishing

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS | CHILDREN'S POETRY

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CREEPY PAIR OF UNDERWEAR!

by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Peter Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 22, 2017

Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with...

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Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

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Google Rating

Kirkus Reviews'
Best Books Of 2017

New York Times Bestseller

Reynolds and Brown have crafted a Halloween tale that balances a really spooky premise with the hilarity that accompanies any mention of underwear.

Jasper Rabbit needs new underwear. Plain White satisfies him until he spies them: “Creepy underwear! So creepy! So comfy! They were glorious.” The underwear of his dreams is a pair of radioactive-green briefs with a Frankenstein face on the front, the green color standing out all the more due to Brown’s choice to do the entire book in grayscale save for the underwear’s glowing green…and glow they do, as Jasper soon discovers. Despite his “I’m a big rabbit” assertion, that glow creeps him out, so he stuffs them in the hamper and dons Plain White. In the morning, though, he’s wearing green! He goes to increasing lengths to get rid of the glowing menace, but they don’t stay gone. It’s only when Jasper finally admits to himself that maybe he’s not such a big rabbit after all that he thinks of a clever solution to his fear of the dark. Brown’s illustrations keep the backgrounds and details simple so readers focus on Jasper’s every emotion, writ large on his expressive face. And careful observers will note that the underwear’s expression also changes, adding a bit more creep to the tale.

Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with Dr. Seuss’ tale of animate, empty pants. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-4424-0298-0

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
CREEPY CRAYON!
by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Peter Brown

- BOOK REVIEW
THE DRAGON'S DOOKIE
by Aaron Reynolds ; illustrated by Cam Kendell

- BOOK REVIEW
NARWHAL I'M AROUND
by Aaron Reynolds

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HELLO, SUN!

by Lala Watkins ; illustrated by Lala Watkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2025

Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!

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Fun with friends makes for a great day.

Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”

Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)