A timely celebration of individual difference.
Walter feels out of place among the other sharks at school.
Walter’s been looking forward to school all summer, but a class photo has him in a panic: Everyone’s teeth are huge. How can Walter, with his “teeny tiny teeth,” make friends with the likes of Manny Mako and Greta Great White? The whale shark spends the morning worrying, but an idea strikes him at lunchtime. He scoops up some matching seashells to enhance his smile, but after one bite of his sandwich, they all come tumbling out. “Oh Mackerel!” His seaweed teeth are similarly unsuccessful, and his shrimp teeth flee (“SWIM for it!”) as soon as Walter opens his mouth to read aloud. Dejected, Walter heads home, where his mother waits with some reassurance: Walter doesn’t need teeth like the other sharks’ because whale sharks eat different food. (This important scientific fact is only hinted at in the plankton-and–chocolate chip cookies she serves Walter as an after-school snack.) “Having teeny tiny teeth doesn’t mean you don’t fit in. It’s what makes you special.” Quintanilla’s illustrations play up the other sharks’ big, pointy teeth (one precocious “sharky-gartener” even sports braces) and Walter’s roller coaster of excitement and disappointment/embarrassment. The other sharks laugh, seemingly at Walter’s expense. The variably weighted, sans-serif typeface may make it hard for new readers to parse some letters.
A timely celebration of individual difference. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4867-1809-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flowerpot Press
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2020
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
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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