The Red Jacket

The [art] gives the book immediate appeal, and the unexpected details, such as fries in the jacket pockets, are endearing. Fun for reading aloud and fine for discussing.

A delightful story of finding self-confidence and friends--and then paying it forward.

Embodying a Charlie Brown mien, Bob the seagull wanders off solo while the rest of the seagull gang hangs out gabbing. Subsequent vignettes show the bird longing to join a pile-up of crabs and looking on enviously at a cozy readaloud. When an upbeat bird dressed in a flashy red jacket walks by and sees Bob's slumped posture, it makes an offer: "Would you like a red jacket?" Asked why, the bird replies, "I no longer need it." Holt (the Bob Holt Celebrates series) tells the story in handwritten speech balloons, spindly cartoon lines, and saturated hues. The bird hands the jacket over ("There are fries in the pockets," it says), Bob is delighted, and things start to change. Is it the jacket and fries, or Bob's newly bolstered sense of self? "Let's grab tea sometime," he says to a seal; "Sure, Bob," the seal says back, "that would be great." When Bob loses the jacket, its return makes him appreciate his wealth of relationships, and he soon welcomes a chance to let it work its magic on someone else. Examining the bond between self-regard and friendship, this wish-fulfillment fantasy gets extra power from a vision of non-attachment to a desirable object. Ages 4-8. (July)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 3--Bob the seagull is feeling a distinct lack of confidence. He walks around, silently brooding, head down, until a kindly songbird offers him its beautiful red jacket (with French fries in the pockets!). Bob looks good in the red jacket--so good, in fact, that he is now brimming with self-confidence. But when he loses the jacket in a giant wave, his newfound sense of self is threatened. Holt's lightly humorous story pairs well with his colorful pencil and digital illustrations, including a particularly strange and funny spread of Bob looking inside a whale's blowhole for his jacket. The entire book is sure to delight young readers. The characters speak entirely in speech bubbles, which could make for a fun dual reading experience for children and caregivers. VERDICT For story hours on a gray day, this is a great choice for readers who are shy, or anyone looking for a humorous, beachside read.--Kadie Seitz

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.