Blue Bison Needs a Haircut

August 29, 2022
Previous collaborators and comedy pros Rothman and Oswald (Attack of the Underwear Dragon) introduce readers to an eponymous protagonist who genuinely enjoys haircuts as a way “to look nice and neat for his family and playground associates.” Gouache-textured digital art shows a mustachioed hippo barber turning the protagonist’s tangled curls into a sharp-looking, slicked-back coif. But when the town, barber included, shuts down for “some reason,” Blue Bison does not take it well, even though family and playground associates tell him they’re fine with however he appears. He rams a rock and wallows, and it becomes clear that maybe this love of haircuts is about having a sense of agency, independence, and control. Meanwhile, little sister Bubble Gum Bison is waiting in the wings, eager to try out her hairdressing skills. The creators strike a satisfying balance between the wry and the sweet, adding smile-garnering asides throughout Blue Bison’s journey from frustration to equanimity—and a new ’do. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency.

September 1, 2022
A bad hair day prompts hours of angst. Blue Bison prefers "to look nice and neat for his family and playground associates," and the difference between a scruffy, long-haired Blue Bison and a Blue Bison with a spiffy new haircut is striking. Blue Bison needs a haircut (though his mother corrects him: "You WANT to get a haircut. You don't NEED to"). But for some reason, the entire town, including the barber shop, is closed--for days. Blue Bison glowers, snorts puffs of anger, and then rams his head into a nearby rock, as any true bison would. Little sister Bubble Gum Bison grabs her scissors and offers to help, but Blue Bison first visits the barber's home. When the barber refuses to do a quick cut, Blue Buffalo dramatically "wallow[s]." Family and friends try to cheer him up; Bubble Gum Bison's suggestion makes Blue Bison laugh and turns the day around. The next day, Blue Bison wakes without a care for his hair, but when he looks in the mirror, he discovers someone has given him a haircut that he doesn't just like--but absolutely loves. Digital illustrations add layers of texture and humor through emotionally expressive Blue Bison's close-ups and creative details to pore over like a billboard for "extra soft" undies and a row of rocks for head-butting that are labeled for each Bison family member. (This book was reviewed digitally.) This one puts the "ha" in "haircut"--be prepared to snuggle up and laugh often. (Picture book. 3-8)

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October 15, 2022
Preschool-Grade 1 If you're a bison who likes to look neat and well groomed, you've got quite a challenge. Blue Bison, the hirsute hero of this story, finds that his local barber shop has suddenly closed, leaving his luxuriant blue pompadour and coiffed body hair flowing wildly. Blue Bison is frustrated. He snorts, bangs his head on his father's rock, and tries bribing the hippo barber to reopen, and when this tactic doesn't work, he wallows. Blue Bison's mother and father counsel patience. His sister offers to cut his hair, first with a scissors, then with a lawn mower. Throughout, the text cracks jokes and offers information on bison (vs. buffalo), while Oswald (illustrator of some of Jory John's popular Food Group series) serves up delightfully comic depictions of Blue Bison unraveling. A laugh riot from start to finish, with a surprise resolution encasing a lesson that patience can pay off: if you don't get what you want, you might get something even better.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 16, 2022

PreS-Gr 3-"Blue Bison liked getting haircuts because Blue Bison liked to look nice and neat for his family and playground associates." Playground associates. Something happens, readers are not told just what, but said readers have probably experienced something quite similar in the past two years, where everything is closed. And a haircut is not possible. Blue Bison (not a buffalo, which is neatly differentiated in the text) acts out, solving nothing, and his little sister, lawn mower at the ready, solves his problem. Blue Bison gains perspective on what is important, and his ridged hair, very punk-rock, is spectacular. Illustrations that look as if house paints have been rolled across the page in the color of barber stripes are pitch-perfect, as are the dabs of colors that indicate the moods of the sullen and joyful bison. The playground associates have the chance to chime in, and they are adorable, too. VERDICT When nonsense hits, it hits, and to explain it is to demolish it. Blue Bison charms, is relatable, and with the right hairstyle, cuts quite a swash. Children will guffaw.-Kimberly Olson Fakih

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