In Hoffman’s adult work, the intersection of fantasy and realism is sustained and the suspension of disbelief can be close to absolute (The River King, p. 585, etc.). However, her American-brand magical realism seems forced and close to ludicrous within the very real conventions of a picture book. Set at Cloud Ranch in an undisclosed Western state, a fearful girl lives with her wise grandfather. Jewel is afraid of horses (rather inconvenient on a ranch), but this changes when her grandfather gives her an abandoned undersized foal. She names him Bug, and he is dog-like in his devotion. Jewel had asserted that she would never ride a horse, but soon she begins to ride Bug with ease and enjoyment. One day she discovers that Bug is a special horse in another way—he can fly! A mean circus owner sees them fly and covets Bug for his menagerie. He and evil cohorts steal Bug; Jewel sets about to get him back. In a daring Big Top rescue, Jewel arrives on the scene (in circus costume), runs into the center ring, and jumps onto Bug’s back. It’s Happy Trails meets Happily Ever After when, at her word, he “unfurled his wings” and they dive bomb his kidnappers before they make their escape (with the other circus hoses following behind). The real high-flyers here are the well-modeled and skillful oil-painting illustrations. Johnson and Fancher (Cat, You’d Better Come Home, 1995, etc.) are marvelously adept at rendering figures in both shadowy dark interiors and dazzlingly lit fields under cloud-dappled skies. Avid riders or readers of equine fact and fiction will note that Hoffman blurs the pony/horse distinction here but if one already accepts that Bug can fly, well, can’t a pony be a baby horse? (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7868-0367-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2000
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
The wriggly narrator of Diary of a Worm (2003) puts in occasional appearances, but it’s his arachnid buddy who takes center stage here, with terse, tongue-in-cheek comments on his likes (his close friend Fly, Charlotte’s Web), his dislikes (vacuums, people with big feet), nervous encounters with a huge Daddy Longlegs, his extended family—which includes a Grandpa more than willing to share hard-won wisdom (The secret to a long, happy life: “Never fall asleep in a shoe.”)—and mishaps both at spider school and on the human playground. Bliss endows his garden-dwellers with faces and the odd hat or other accessory, and creates cozy webs or burrows colorfully decorated with corks, scraps, plastic toys and other human detritus. Spider closes with the notion that we could all get along, “just like me and Fly,” if we but got to know one another. Once again, brilliantly hilarious. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-000153-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2005
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