Junior, a young gorilla, grows up in the shadow of King Kong, his far more famous cousin. The comparisons between the two are constant. King Kong is as big as a building; Junior is small enough to live in an apartment. While King Kong is as strong as four elephants, Junior is only about as strong as Bernice, his cat. Kong scales skyscrapers; Junior climbs up on the piano bench. And King Kong does "heroic things," while Junior feeds his goldfish. Junior has grand dreams, though, so he eats his bamboo, does his exercises, and keeps track of his height on the wall to make sure he is growing big and strong, just like his famous cousin. When his beloved Bernice is in danger, Junior proves that heroism does not require massive strength but strength of character. Teague's appealing grayscale acrylic illustrations and vintage New York City scenery recall the golden age of film in which King Kong was first made famous. This is a cozy family read to enjoy together and reiterates the vital lesson that even small people can do great things. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A timeless lesson combined with vintage vibes for a comforting read-along. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

While building-size King Kong plays big cheese in the Big Apple, his far more diminutive cousin Junior lives an ordinary New York City apartment life with his mother and beloved cat, Bernice. Kong stars in movies and wrestles dinosaurs (heroic actions uniformly viewed as the stuff of celebrity); Junior hangs laundry and feeds his goldfish, Larry. Junior's mother insists that he is "just as special as your cousin," but Junior's not so sure; he constantly checks his height, exercises, and even sneaks a snack of "Super Grow Fish Food." On Thanksgiving Day--Kong is the city parade's grand marshall, of course--Bernice gets stuck in a tree, and Junior doesn't think twice before climbing up to rescue her (even though the ground is "very far away"). Teague (Cat Dog) tells his story with elegance and emotional authenticity; grayscale acrylic art winks at the classic film with details that reward close reading, while Junior's yearning to be like his huge cousin scans more like a low-grade fever than an obsession--one mitigated not by a grand act of heroism but by helping someone he loves. Ages up to 8. (Aug.)

Two cousins, both gorillas, live very different lives. Enormously strong, courageous, and famous throughout their city, Kong is as large as an apartment building. Junior, who exercises, eats his bamboo, and rivals his cat (Bernice) in strength, lives in an apartment building. Kong wrestles dinosaurs. Junior practices piano. Kong performs heroic deeds for city residents. Junior does chores for his mother. "You're just as special as your cousin," she assures him, but Junior can't help feeling that his achievements fall short of his cousin's. Still, when Bernice climbs up a tree and can't get down, it's Junior who rescues her, earning his cat's gratitude, his mother's praise, and the feeling that he's grown a little bigger. Teague's engaging text, which introduces the cousins through a series of contrasts, leads readers to admire Kong and to love Junior. Rendered in acrylics using black, white, and blue-tinged shades of gray, the dynamic illustrations reference the original black-and-white movie King Kong (1933) in the book's New York City setting. A rewarding picture book that's fun for reading aloud.