Told with restraint and ease, this book is about a romantic legend that haunts the ubiquitous pottery design. It begins with an invitation: ``Fly with me, over China, and down into the landscape of the willow pattern.'' Readers are thrust into the blue-and-white realm of lovers Koong Shee and Chang, respectively, a wealthy mandarin's daughter and a poor servant. But Koong Shee, betrothed to an old merchant, is locked away by her father; Chang rescues her on her wedding day and they embark on a happy life in hiding. Ultimately, the mandarin finds them and throws them into a maze beneath his Great Pagoda; when he and the lovers die, their world becomes as eternal and changeless as the now-familiar willow pattern. Any child who has ever imagined a journey into a two- dimensional expanse will be carried away by the passion Drummond brings to his subject. His blending of still elements from the pottery with looser, livelier drawings of the story's pursuits have a lyrical grace, although the order of events in text and pictures sometimes disagrees (spot vignettes of later action in the tale occasionally precede larger visuals of earlier incidents). An author's note in the end warns readers of the ``truth'' about this pattern and legend, notably, their British origins. A charmed work, told with conviction and a sure hand. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1992
ISBN: 1-55858-171-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1992
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
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