Carin Bramsen

3 weeks ago | kirkusreviews.com | Becky Kennedy |Marilyn Sadler |Stephanie Laberis |Carin Bramsen

A purpose-driven tale about grappling with big emotions; unlikely to entice kids, but potentially useful to caregivers. Charlie is all set for a day of fun, but when he notices his little sister, Pia, playing with his new fire truck, he sees red. In an attempt to get his favorite toy back, Charlie hits Pia. Mom defuses the situation by speaking gently to him about his emotions: “You’re a good kid having a hard time. And I’m here. I’m right here with you.” There’s no mention of a timeout, no yelling.

Apr 5, 2024 | kirkusreviews.com | Catherine Rayner |Pip Jones |Sara Ogilvie |Carin Bramsen

It takes no guesswork to understand just how endearing this friendship truly is. The protagonists of Molly, Olive, and Dexter Play Hide-and-Seek (2023) take part in the “loveliest game in the world.”Molly the hare, Olive the owl, and Dexter the fox are good friends, but it’s Olive who’s fondest of guessing games. She entices her friends to play “GUESS WHAT?” Gazing skyward, Dexter begins by asking the other two what he’s thinking about. Molly immediately figures out that he’s thinking of the sky.

Jan 30, 2024 | kirkusreviews.com | Kim Hillyard |Eric Carle |Carin Bramsen

Safe to creep on by. In three sentences that stretch out over most of the book’s 32 pages, the (here, at least) not-so-ravenous larva first describes the object of its love, then describes how that loved one makes it feel before concluding, “That’s why… / I[heart]U.” There is little original in either visual or textual content, much of it mined from The Very Hungry Caterpillar.