The Creature of Habit Tries His Best

September 1, 2024
The titular character, introduced inThe Creature of Habit (2021), returns for a lesson in perseverance. Clever wordplay immediately elevates Smith's story beyond mere moralizing about the value of a growth mindset: "Habit" is the name of a tropical island, home to the eponymous creature, a large, rabbitlike being who prefers the tried-and-true to the new and unfamiliar. A "very small creature," a bespectacled blue sphere with skinny limbs, encourages the very big creature to stretch himself, first by finding a way for the two of them to leave the island for a snowy place with "trees shaped like triangles. And rocks covered in moss. And snow that [falls] from the sky like dust, like magic, like stars." Here, the very small creature excels at trying new things, such as climbing trees and riding a bicycle. The very big creature struggles and fails to do the same, much to his disappointment, but a shift in his thinking makes all the difference. The very big creature soon realizes that attempting to be the best is fruitless; it's better to try to be the best attrying. Throughout, Espinosa's comic-style illustrations have a retro feel that will appeal to fans of Zachariah Ohora and Bob Shea, with an expressive flair that captures a range of emotions from frustration to triumphant glee. Try your best to find this great storytime pick.(Picture book. 3-6)

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January 1, 2025
In this companion to The Creature of Habit, the titular large white rabbit-like being and his "very small creature" friend, a blue puff with green-tinted glasses, make a newspaper sailboat ("sort of") and set off from the tropical island of Habit. They arrive in a place filled with triangle-shaped trees, moss-covered rocks, and snow that falls "from the sky like dust, like magic, like stars." In this new land, the possibilities seem endless. The big creature attempts to climb trees (his small friend does it effortlessly) and to make daisy chains and snowballs, but "he couldn't do it." When he sees his pal zipping around on a bike, however, he decides he has to learn how to ride. With his friend's encouragement, he doesn't give up despite many, many failed attempts. Eventually our protagonist has slow, wobbly success, and that night he dreams about "being the best at trying to ride a bike." Espinosa's comical digital illustrations enhance Smith's funny, warmhearted story about a character who concludes that "maybe trying wasn't so different from sticking with something." Emily Reid Green

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2025
In this companion to The Creature of Habit, the titular large white rabbit-like being and his "very small creature" friend, a blue puff with green-tinted glasses, make a newspaper sailboat ("sort of") and set off from the tropical island of Habit. They arrive in a place filled with triangle-shaped trees, moss-covered rocks, and snow that falls "from the sky like dust, like magic, like stars." In this new land, the possibilities seem endless. The big creature attempts to climb trees (his small friend does it effortlessly) and to make daisy chains and snowballs, but "he couldn't do it." When he sees his pal zipping around on a bike, however, he decides he has to learn how to ride. With his friend's encouragement, he doesn't give up despite many, many failed attempts. Eventually our protagonist has slow, wobbly success, and that night he dreams about "being the best at trying to ride a bike." Espinosa's comical digital illustrations enhance Smith's funny, warmhearted story about a character who concludes that "maybe trying wasn't so different from sticking with something."

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)