A satisfying story with an important message.
A misanthropic bear inadvertently becomes a conservationist.
Grumpy Bruce prefers solitude—though that’s hard to find as a devoted parent to a passel of geese and mice. In search of some “me” time, he decides to go fishing but encounters a crowd of environmentalists protesting the building of a factory. Bruce rejects their pleas to join them. At the stream, he’s dismayed when his bait leaps into the stream with his lunch. On his way home, Bruce passes the demonstrators, who have been joined by his own offspring. They’re delighted he’s returned “to save the forest,” and soon the unwilling Bruce is shepherded to the town hall, where his unenthusiastic comments are hilariously misinterpreted: “I don’t even want to be here.” “Bruce is right! None of us wants to be here. But we MUST!” As it turns out, Bruce’s lunchbox holds the key to a miraculous victory: Nestled inside are two extremely rare beetles from the stream that, by law, must be protected. Therefore, no factory! Following a long nap, Bruce rehomes the beetles and finds a new fishing spot, and the forest becomes a “protected wildland,” named in Bruce’s honor. The contrast between the standoffish Bruce and his earnest children and peers makes for a funny yet sweet tale that celebrates environmental preservation efforts and applauds even the smallest attempts to fight for a worthy cause. Higgins’ expressive, crisp, and clean illustrations will keep youngsters chuckling.
A satisfying story with an important message. (tips for preserving the environment and animal habitats, websites, further reading) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781368090209
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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