Young naturalists will be utterly absorbed by the tiny delights here.
The characters introduced in The Hidden World of Gnomes (2023) embrace a new addition, who makes an exciting self-discovery.
A mushroom circle forms, and Grolly Maru (who uses they/them pronouns) emerges through the parted moss. The gnomes of the Pocket, a warm and welcoming bunch, take it upon themselves to teach the newcomer about their love of their natural world and to explain their individual jobs. Cob Tiggy shows Grolly Maru some of his favorite hats, from a raspberry to a dandelion puff. Merry Pip schools Grolly Maru in animal sounds and “animal quiets.” When Grolly Maru’s belly rumbles, they join Bonnie Plum in baking a fruit treat and later get a lesson in “gnome numbers” from Puckle Swift. The gnomes stop by Mrs. Spider’s place as the arachnid takes a page out of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and spins an inspiring message: “Life is as mysterious as ever!” A gnome named Minoletta delivers a day’s-end paean to the oneness of the world. And finally, as the new inductee stands up to share their thoughts, they find themselves waxing rhapsodic about the moon—turns out Grolly Maru is a poet! Beginning readers might trip over the lengthier passages, but for the most part, this is another sweet immersion in a whimsical world populated by endearing residents who vary in skin tone. Soloy’s lovely, intricate vignettes, rendered in muted watercolors, brim with warmth.
Young naturalists will be utterly absorbed by the tiny delights here. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781774887202
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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