I really like Claudia Rueda’s illustrations. (Take a look at her website for a sense of just how colorful they are.)
I have enjoyed her books, like Bunny Overboard.
I was intrigued, then, to learn of a series featuring the Smushkins, and to read the 2025 picture books Meet the Smushkins.
I once again loved the images. These…creatures? (They seem to be based on familiar animals like bunnies and hippos, but wear clothes, are a family, and use tools.) are colorful, and each page is well-designed. My hands wanted to trace the different angles the shapes made.
However, the story here is limited, if it exists at all. We meet the Smushkins while they’re looking for a house, and learn what would make a house good for them.
That’s it.
The book is gentle and colorful, and will read well to the very young, but the story is minimal.
