The worry-worry whale and the classroom jitters

Garnering her own spin-off series following The Pout-Pout Fish and the Worry-Worry Whale, Willa Whale returns in this picture book to tackle a school-related anxiety. Despite her gently encouraging teacher's efforts, Willa never raises her fin during class: "The answer might be in me,/ But I always take too long./ And what if they all STARE at me?/ I know I'll get it WRONG!" At home, Willa's parents suggest some role-playing to help navigate Willa's "quivery and sad" feelings. As Willa pretends to be the teacher, she sees Mom take a "deep, calming breath" and ask for a pause, and watches Dad admit he's stumped by a question. The little whale soon realizes the wisdom of advice that caring adults have been offering: "It isn't always easy/ To share the things we know,/ But ideas, thoughts, and questions/ Are the way we learn and grow." Character designs originated by Dan Hanna remain cheery and uplifting in Monés's hands, while Diesen's signature rhymes reassure her target audience as well as provide adult readers with effective strategies. Ages 4--8. (May)

In this new series--a spinoff from the Pout-Pout Fish books--Willa has a whale of a problem. Willa the whale's a worrywart. She feels timid about raising her fin in class: What if she takes too long to answer or, worse, gets it wrong? When her teacher calls on her encouragingly, Willa remains silent. Whew! That worked; she's saved. But Willa begins to reflect on the teacher's comment to the class: "It isn't always easy / To share the things we know, / But ideas, thoughts, and questions / Are the way we learn and grow." At home, Willa's parents let her know that she's not alone in her fears. They do some role-playing, with Willa pretending to be the teacher. Willa learns about pausing before answering and, if necessary, giving a partial answer, then asking for help in finding more information. Willa repeatedly reminds her "students" of her teacher's mantra. The next day, Willa feels confident about answering in class and realizes it's OK to answer incorrectly. Guess who raises her fin now? This cute, jauntily rhyming tale may allay some kids' concerns, though real-life worries aren't overcome quite so easily. Still, it's a tale sure to buoy young readers, and Willa's parents are reassuringly lovely. The colorfully cartoony illustrations are sweet and expressive; Willa's varied marine-life classmates are adorable. Imparts a solid message: Try your best and be your fin-tastic self. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.