June 7, 2021
Sonny, an anthropomorphic red fox in an aqua beanie and shirt, “finds a thing” in the playground’s sandbox: a pink bunny plushie that he immediately adores and names Bun-Bun. When Meemo, a diminutive dog in sweatbands (and the only character who doesn’t use human speech), “gives Bun-Bun a sniff, Sonny says, ‘Mine!’ ”—beginning a solo montage of Sonny playing with Bun-Bun. But when Honey, another fluffy friend, informs the duo that bespectacled bunny Boo has lost Suki—her favorite pink stuffed bunny—Sonny must decide what to do. Hart’s playful, repetitive text winningly recalls Mac Barnett’s Jack books (“Will Sonny do the right thing? Will he?”). OHora’s bright digital art, often presented against monochrome backgrounds and augmented by colorful speech bubbles, keeps the focus on the expressive characters. A solid conversation opener for discussions on sharing and empathy. Ages 3–6.
June 15, 2021
A kid finds a toy, becomes smitten with it, and lies about having it. Sonny's an orange fox who stands upright and wears a shirt and knit cap. At the playground, Sonny finds a pink toy bunny in a yellow polka-dot dress. "Ooh!" he says, naming it Bun-Bun and playing with it. When a yellow rabbit named Boo in a black-and-red dress arrives in search of "her favorite pink bunny," the arc turns to deception. Sonny hides the toy and explicitly lies to try to keep it. After prolonged dishonesty and some weird, insistent narration--"Will Sonny do the right thing? Will he? Will he?"--he does. As a lesson, this might serve; as literature, it's direct and dull. Mildly intriguing is the character Meemo, inhabiting a gray area between pet dog and anthropomorphized animal like Sonny and Boo. On one hand, Meemo sniffs Bun-Bun, can't speak words, and barks "WOOF!" On the other hand, the creature is the story's moral center, glowering at Sonny's deception--standing upright with hands on hips--and urging him to do right. Illustrations feature bold black lines and flat colors in flat spaces; short black dashes depicting the characters' fur are sharp, unblended, and visually dominant such that everyone appears stubbly. Valuable only as the most explicit moral lesson. (Picture book. 3-6)
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July 1, 2021
Preschool-Kindergarten While playing with friends, young Sonny finds a stuffed pink rabbit lying in the sandbox. ""Mine!"" he proclaims of his cuddly discovery, dubbing it Bun-Bun. They play happily until Honey arrives with a sobbing Boo, sad to have lost her own pink bunny, Suki. Sonny immediately understands what he should do, but when asked directly if he's seen Suki, he lies, hides the stuffie, and tells his friend Meemo (who has observed everything) to be quiet. Only when Sonny realizes how bereft Boo feels, does he return the toy to its delighted owner. The first in a projected series with an SEL bent, Hart introduces animal friends (Sonny, a fox; Meemo, a dog; and cats Honey and Boo) who encounter typical preschool conundrums. Text is kept brief and includes many speech balloons that convey important narrative elements. OHora's signature cartoon art is stellar, as always, featuring distinctive characters, saturated hues, and expressive facial features. Meemo is particularly apt as Sonny's conscience, although he only barks his commentary. Entertaining and instructive, this will be a useful preschool discussion starter.
COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
September 1, 2021
Sonny, an anthropomorphized and very fuzzy red fox, "finds a thing" on the playground and quickly becomes attached to the pink plush bunny, which he dubs Bun-Bun. "Mine!" Then Honey (a furry pink animal) and Boo (a rabbit) approach the sandbox with solemn faces: Boo has lost Suki, her beloved pink plush bunny. Sonny claims he's never seen Suki, and slyly tucks the toy he found out of sight. Sonny tries various tactics to distract Boo from her missing stuffie, but her sadness stretches on, and Sonny is faced with a quandary. Within a limited color palette of OHora's bold digital illustrations, the creatures' emotions are augmented through thick-lined black brows, dotted eyes, and small but expressive snouts. The simple and repetitive text easily involves young listeners in familiar and relatable scenarios: losing something precious and practicing empathy. On the last spread Sonny says, "Come back soon!" as he waves with his friends, breaking the fourth wall and transforming the tale into a role-played fable of sorts. Inviting and light-handed in its morality, the story offers safe territory for exercising that empathy muscle alongside Sonny and his friends. Grace McKinney
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 1, 2021
Sonny, an anthropomorphized and very fuzzy red fox, "finds a thing" on the playground and quickly becomes attached to the pink plush bunny, which he dubs Bun-Bun. "Mine!" Then Honey (a furry pink animal) and Boo (a rabbit) approach the sandbox with solemn faces: Boo has lost Suki, her beloved pink plush bunny. Sonny claims he's never seen Suki, and slyly tucks the toy he found out of sight. Sonny tries various tactics to distract Boo from her missing stuffie, but her sadness stretches on, and Sonny is faced with a quandary. Within a limited color palette of Ohora's bold digital illustrations, the creatures' emotions are augmented through thick-lined black brows, dotted eyes, and small but expressive snouts. The simple and repetitive text easily involves young listeners in familiar and relatable scenarios: losing something precious and practicing empathy. On the last spread Sonny says, "Come back soon!" as he waves with his friends, breaking the fourth wall and transforming the tale into a role-played fable of sorts. Inviting and light-handed in its morality, the story offers safe territory for exercising that empathy muscle alongside Sonny and his friends.
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)