Review by Booklist Review
The Nuts (stars of The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House, 2014) return, this time with dreams on the part of the young nuts, Hazel and Wally, who want to grow BIG. Their simple, happy-go-lucky plan fits their lifestyle: they're just going to roll along, gathering whatever materials stick to them along the way. This plan works, after a fashion, as the two become round and smelly and big so big, in fact, that at first dogcatchers come after them, and later, when they become the size of elephants, zookeepers. Magoon's digital illustrations, in bright earth tones, are minimal in detail; like the text, the landscape behind the siblings just keeps rolling along. The repetition of the images matches the repetitions in the text as phrases like get bigger and keep rolling are repeated throughout, creating lots of opportunities for interaction and investigation (what will Wally and Hazel look like next?). A link to the Keep Rolling song and dance adds to the fun.--Ching, Edie Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Hazel and Wally Nut are back again, and this time their small size leads them on a big adventure. After rolling in mud and realizing that the more they roll, "the bigger they [grow]," the Nuts keep rolling until they're the size of cats, dogs, and elephants. But each time they get bigger, a new challenge is thrown their way. All they know to do in these predicaments is to "keep rolling, keep rolling, keep rolling." Then rain comes and washes the mud and goo away until Hazel and Wally are small again. Even though they're left little and alone, the Nuts are able to get home because they know to "keep rolling" until they are back with their happy family. Litwin once again displays a sense of eternal optimism with this latest installment. The story has fun rhymes, pictures, and a song that reminds readers of all ages that when times get tough, the best thing to do is to keep going (or keep rolling). Children will love seeing Hazel and Wally's mud transformations and the silly escapades they get into. Magoon's bright and lively illustrations enhance the upbeat feel of the story. VERDICT Purchase for collections where Litwin's other titles are popular.-Paige Garrison, The Davis Academy, Sandy Springs, GA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Litwin's Nut family is back (The Nuts, 2015), this time lamenting their diminutive size.Poor Hazel and Wally. They are tired of being tiny. But how can they get bigger quickly? By rolling in the mud, of course! They launch themselves down a mucky hill, and with each revolution a new layer of mud sticks to them, creating a larger and larger shell. A song accompanies the prescribed action: "KEEP ROLLING. / KEEP ROLLING. / KEEP ROLLING." (It's easy to imagine listeners getting into the action here.) They roll until they are the size of cats. Magoon's digital muck glops on thick, with strategically placed twigs and leaves to represent whiskers and eyes. But, "Oh, No!" A pack of dogs comes over the hill. Wally and Hazel had better"KEEP ROLLING. / KEEP ROLLING. / KEEP ROLLING." When the two nuts are the size of dogs, they fear the (white) dogcatcher. Then they are the size of elephants, but a (brown-skinned) zookeeper joins the chase. Luckily, in a solution similar to a certain cat with colored shoes, water saves the day. The two nuts roll home. With repetitive refrains and plenty of mud, it's hard to go wrongbut the message is a bit murky. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
