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THE OWL WHO ASKS WHY

Name: THE OWL WHO ASKS WHY
Author: Michelle Garcia Andersen
ISBN: 978-1-64567-153-4

by Michelle Garcia Andersen ; illustrated by Ayesha L. Rubio ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2021

An amusing lesson in the importance of asking the right questions.

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Ridiculed by their peers, a young owl and a young wolf run away.

When Little Owl asks her mother, “WHY don’t all animals stay awake at night,” Mama Owl tells her, “Owls don’t ask WHY….Owls ask WHO.” Little Owl persistently asks, “WHY” until the other owls laugh at her. Meanwhile, Little Wolf asks his father, “WHEN will I be able to explore on my own,” and Papa Wolf cautions him, “Wolves don’t ask WHEN….Wolves ask HOW.” Undeterred, Little Wolf keeps asking, “WHEN” until he’s mocked by the other wolves. Convinced no one understands them, Little Owl and Little Wolf flee together, seeking freedom to ask whatever they want. All night long, Little Owl leads the way with Little Wolf following until they realize they’re lost and ready to go home. If only they had “asked the same questions as everyone else,” Little Wolf says ruefully. Now the only way they will get home is by asking more questions. Repetitive use of who, what, why, when, where, and how, printed in bold capital letters, reinforces the interrogatory theme. With their simple shapes and expressive faces, Little Owl and Little Wolf stand out against the moonlit woodland backgrounds on their dramatic home-away-home adventure. It unfolds in small cameos as well as single- and double-page spreads, with close-up, aerial, and wide-angle views adding varied perspectives.

An amusing lesson in the importance of asking the right questions. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-64567-153-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Page Street

Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

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PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

by James Dean ; illustrated by James Dean ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among

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Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.

If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)