Kim Norman

This is the kind of beautiful picture book that used to drive me nuts when I was growing up in Texas. The assumption that of course everyone lives somewhere with four seasons, trees changing color, and snow in winter drove me crazy.

So I moved to the Midwest and now I love these books. (That's not the ONLY reason I moved to Wisconsin, but it... might have played a part.)

So if you don't live somewhere with four seasons, I'd skip this book (or consider moving...) and if you do, you will show more naturally want lots and lots and lots of beautiful books about places with four seasons!

Miyares' bright watercolors illustrate the joy of the seasons as Norman writes a poetic tale of seasonal fun and celebration. It begins with summer, visiting the lake whose deep blue is offset by the glow of a bright red bathing suit. Two white children with brown hair eat blueberries, devour corn, and sleep in the hot summer air, waiting for the cool winds of autumn to blow in. Fall arrives with brilliant red and yellow leaves sweeping across a deep green landscape. The children don jackets, spend every moment outdoors, and collect nuts. Trees tap the window, heralding the arrival of winter. Winter is a soft blue and pink landscape, a cozy evening on a rug with a puzzle, and playing in the snow. Eventually, green shoots begin to poke through the sun, showing that spring is on its way. Spring explodes into bloom with green grass and yellow flowers, visits to the farm, and baby animals, including one very special puppy. As the children stroke their puppy, they imagine the joys of summer and the story ends with the deep blue of the lake and green of the trees and grass.

Of course, this is an idealized vision of the Midwest; although a television is shown in the background in the winter, there are no electronics. The children appear to live in an old farmhouse and share a bedroom, but they visit the lake in the summer and everything is always perfect: No cold and soggy rain in the fall, no mosquitoes in the summer, and no school! It's somewhat nostalgic, showing a family farm, old stationwagon, and a family with plenty of land - and time - for children to roam. But ultimately it's a celebration of the beauty of seasons and a love of nature, so it's not meant to be realistic. While I would like to see more images of diverse children in rural areas, and more depiction of economic struggles, this is the type of book that many of my patrons will love, giving them a break from their day-to-day schedules and a moment to reflect on the beauty of nature.

Verdict: Not for every library, but if you live somewhere with lakes and four seasons, adults will love to look back at what they remember from their childhood and it will hopefully interest children in exploring more of the natural beauty around them.

ISBN: 9780374305987; Published October 2019 by Farrar Straus & Giroux; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library show less

Long ago, I reviewed the first book in this series, Puddle Pug, even though I've never been a fan of pugs, and found that it was such a sweet story that I fell in love. So I was very excited to see another book in the series, even though it's been five years!

Percy the Pug and Petunia the Pig are best friends... until Petunia wins a prize. Now everyone is eager to congratulate her, play with her, and she's got so many fans she doesn't need Percy any more. Percy decides to do something on his show more own - be a superhero! He gets a cape and becomes Thunder Pug, coming to the rescue of animals everywhere, big and small! But it's just not the same without Petunia. Maybe they both still need each other?

Pastel spot illustrations show a cute pug and slightly smaller, plump pink pig. Percy and Petunia have humorously expressive faces that express sadness, determination, and worry. Careful readers will see that Petunia isn't necessarily happy with her fans, while Percy has mixed feelings about his superhero work. On the surface, this is a funny story about friendship with two cute animals and lots of silly adventures. But underneath it has a gentle lesson about how to react when you feel overshadowed or lacking in talent and ability. Although Percy still misses his friend, he turns his feelings outward and starts helping others, which makes him feel better even if he's not always good at it.

Verdict: A sweet book with humor and a gentle lesson that fans of cute animals will grab off the shelf. It will also make a great storytime read, especially for preschool and kindergarten listeners.

ISBN: 9781454923589; Published January 2019 by Sterling; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library show less

I didn't think I'd like this at all - I didn't care for the pastel colors and the white space on the cover (or should that be blue space?), I'm not into the "ugly cute" thing, and I don't like pugs. But I was won over despite all my objections and I can't wait to introduce this adorable book to my patrons.

The story opens with "Percy was a puddle pug. He loved puddles of every sort" and goes on to introduce us to all his favorite puddles, with him delightedly bouncing through the mud and show more water of course. He even makes a map of all his favorite spots. But something is missing...then he discovers the best puddle of all! There's just one problem; it's already occupied with a family of pigs and while the piglets would love a new friend, mama pig does NOT think pugs belong in her puddle. Percy persists though and finally is welcomed to join the plump and pink family of porkers in their perfect puddle.

The art is light hues and pastels, with plenty of cuteness; all the animals have adorable expressions and are round and cute. There's plenty of character not just in the animals but in the different puddles themselves and the little things that make them all unique. The art is much better than the cover shows and there's a lot more detail and background than I expected. I think a less simplified cover would have encouraged me to pick this up sooner.

Verdict: This has a sweet little message, but it's not really didactic. It's mostly just a fun, cute story - the perfect addition to any library collection. Give it a chance and it will definitely repay the time.

ISBN: 9781454904366; Published 2014 by Sterling; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to the library's order list show less

I hate the nursery rhyme "hush little baby." I think its weird and even a bit morbid. So this one, about finding a toy truck, and showing a MOM driving big rigs! YES