For all its fine lines and whispery color by newcomer Mariniello, this appreciation of airplanes suffers from a crippling split personality. The couplets that ferry it along are extremely simple: “White clouds, blue sky— / Up above . . . Eagles fly.” Each of the 13 planes introduced here, from the Sopwith Camel to the F-18 Hornet, get this kind of roly-poly verse—“Hawks soar . . . Tigers roar . . . Cougars howl . . . Panthers prowl”—only to have engineering drawings of a plane by the same name as the animal or insect often take a whole page right alongside the paintings of the planes slicing through the air. A full half of the book will be of little interest, if not active distaste, by whatever age group is reading it: Older kids will resent the infantile poetry, while younger kids will be flummoxed by the detailed drawings and by the statistics at the end (Hawk 75A, wingspan of 37 feet 4 inches, and so on). Any way you cut it, too little or too much sends this effort into a tailspin for all but the most rabid, very young plane fanatic. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-8050-4952-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2001
A charming winner about purpose, bravery, and making one’s dreams come true.
Dedication and determination are everything.
Gabriel, an old elephant who lives by the sea, reminisces about visiting a lifeboat as a youngster. He loved watching the crew ready it to rescue sailors and enjoyed listening to them sing sea shanties. He longed to be so brave! When Gabriel asked to join them, they told him to return when he was older and stronger. Gabriel read about storms and sea rescues and practiced rowing. He grew older, stronger, and BIGGER. By the time he returned to the crew, Gabriel had unfortunately grown too large to fit into the boat. More intent than ever, Gabriel constructed his own vessel, singing mightily. Meanwhile, the fishing fleet set out, then ran into big trouble when a strong gale hit. The regular lifeboat team couldn’t help. Guess who rescued the sailors safely with his own powerful vessel? In the end, everyone decided to build a larger craft to accommodate everyone. By turns thrilling and warmly reassuring, this story demonstrates that resolve—and inclusion—wins out; readers will cheer for Gabriel all the way. Sailing through the narrative are vigorous shanties readers might well join in on. Fitting his animal cast out in thick sweaters and raincoats, Vere brings the Cornish setting to life beautifully. Gabriel cuts an endearing figure in the lively illustrations, rendered in a limited palette of soft oranges, grays, and blues.
A charming winner about purpose, bravery, and making one’s dreams come true. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9780525580904
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
Part of a spate of books intent on bringing the garbage collectors in children’s lives a little closer, this almost matches...
Listeners will quickly take up the percussive chorus—“Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the Trashy town! Is the trash truck full yet? NO”—as they follow burly Mr. Gilly, the garbage collector, on his rounds from park to pizza parlor and beyond.
Flinging cans and baskets around with ease, Mr. Gilly dances happily through streetscapes depicted with loud colors and large, blocky shapes; after a climactic visit to the dump, he roars home for a sudsy bath.
Part of a spate of books intent on bringing the garbage collectors in children’s lives a little closer, this almost matches Eve Merriam’s Bam Bam Bam (1995), also illustrated by Yaccarino, for sheer verbal and visual volume. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: April 30, 1999
ISBN: 0-06-027139-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
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