Forget the bears. Treasure’s the name of the game in this reimagining of a storytime staple.
Replicating the rhythms from “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” and substituting swashbuckler speak, the narrative sends six intrepid (not to mention adorable) animal crewmates forth for gold and glory. “We’re goin’ on a treasure hunt. / We’re gonna fetch some gold! / YO-HO-HO! / Me hearties, let’s go!” No true journey can exist without peril, and so the adventurers must face down a giant squid, “wicked whales,” a hurricane, massive waves, and fighting skeletons. It’s all worth it in the end, until they face most fearsome beastie yet: a mouse. Multiple readings will yield a comfortable telling, as there can be a bit of visual confusion (the mouse is so small when it appears that readers could be forgiven for missing it initially). Allowing for plenty of interactive hand motions and audience participation, this is custom-made for pirate-themed storytimes for all ages. Fleck takes great pains to render the scary moments soft and cuddly and even pops in delightful details, such as how exactly a pirate sloth would get about (answer: slowly). The pirate bunny uses a peg leg, and the pirate turtle wears an eye patch.
Arr-propriate for multiple rereadings and more fun than a bottle of rum! (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-374-30641-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Feb. 6, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
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Is it a stormy-night scare or a bedtime book? Both!
Little Blue Truck and his good friend Toad are heading home when a storm lets loose. Before long, their familiar, now very nervous barnyard friends (Goat, Hen, Goose, Cow, Duck, and Pig) squeeze into the garage. Blue explains that “clouds bump and tumble in the sky, / but here inside we’re warm and dry, / and all the thirsty plants below / will get a drink to help them grow!” The friends begin to relax. “Duck said, loud as he could quack it, / ‘THUNDER’S JUST A NOISY RACKET!’ ” In the quiet after the storm, the barnyard friends are sleepy, but the garage is not their home. “ ‘Beep!’ said Blue. ‘Just hop inside. / All aboard for the bedtime ride!’ ” Young readers will settle down for their own bedtimes as Blue and Toad drop each friend at home and bid them a good night before returning to the garage and their own beds. “Blue gave one small sleepy ‘Beep.’ / Then Little Blue Truck fell fast asleep.” Joseph’s rich nighttime-blue illustrations (done “in the style of [series co-creator] Jill McElmurry”) highlight the power of the storm and capture the still serenity that follows. Little Blue Truck has been chugging along since 2008, but there seems to be plenty of gas left in the tank.
A sweet reminder that it’s easy to weather a storm with the company and kindness of friends. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-328-85213-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION
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Who needs sanity when you’ve got family?
The title character of Elbow Grease (2018) and his family of Demolition Derby trucks return to face an all-new competitor. Once again, ’Bo is feeling inadequate next to his fan-favorite brothers. Despite Mel the Mechanic’s encouragement—he’s “the best at getting better”—he wants to be noticed. But instead, he notices someone unavoidable. Motozilla, the monster machine that turns trucks “into crunch sandwiches,” is currently undefeated. Trouble is, you’d need a truck with an array of skills to take him down. Thinking fast, ’Bo makes the wild and somewhat improbable suggestion that he and his brothers join together to form a single supertruck. Will it be enough to take down this bully? Quips, jests, and teamwork are the name of the game as pro wrestler Cena improves on his writing in this second outing, which demonstrates that individual glory falls in the face of concentrated cooperation. Rollicking, radical art portrays the battle in all its gritty glory, mud and twisted metal galore. Human crowds show a diverse range of races and genders, and the trucks’ keeper, Mel, has light-brown skin and wears glasses.
Engines won’t be the only thing roaring their approval when this book hits storytime. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5247-7353-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION
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