This stand-alone title in a series is sure to win hearts and minds, even as its characters come near to losing the latter.
Perils and perturbations await two friends hoping for a peaceful camping experience in the mountains.
When Pettson, a bearded, white human, and his beanie-wearing cat, Findus, discover an old, rolled-up tent in the attic, they are inspired to take a hike in the mountains. Unfortunately their trip is cut short by 10 of Pettson’s overly enthusiastic hens, who want to tag along. They decide just to pitch the tent in the yard. After that nothing is predictable. Fishing in the nearby lake reveals a massive pike, Findus coerces Pettson into sleeping in the tent with him, and after that, Pettson tells a whopper of a tall tale to his neighbor about why they’re camping at all. The story was originally published in Swedish in 1992 and in the United States in 1993 as Festus and Mercury Go Camping, and it’s little wonder that Pettson (a parental stand-in) and Findus (a child) have a cult following. There’s more text to each scene than most modern picture books, but Nordqvist’s writing keeps everything moving at a smart clip. Tiny details and creatures are often hidden in the backgrounds of the book’s scenes, and most (like the mailbox in Pettson’s bedroom that’s stuffed full of dirty socks) are charming. One exception might be a teepee with a feathered headdress–wearing rodent family peeking at our heroes’ foibles.
This stand-alone title in a series is sure to win hearts and minds, even as its characters come near to losing the latter. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4277-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
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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