Rolling out the cookies, Grandma tells the two little girls she doesn't know any stories, but ``I'll tell you about the time my sister and I went to Florida by car with our parents.'' So begins a rambling, eventful account of a not-so-extraordinary vacation, propelled by the girls' queries and by artfully incorporated particulars of the 30's (```What strap?' Zelda asked. `Cars came with straps in those days. No one knew why. My grandmother used hers to hoist herself...'''), and, best of all, by the comfortably unassuming narrator, whose colorful words, brisk descriptions, and unerring choices of subjects keep her audience spellbound. The narrative device adds drama and a rich multigenerational flavor to a warmhearted picture of a lively family on a memorable trip, capped by the eponymous moment when ``All four tires lost their grip, and two of them slipped a tiny bit over the edge of the mountain.'' The color pencil and watercolor art, nicely interspersed with the long text, burgeons with good humor and period details; her spirited characterizations are in perfect accord with the zestful text. Swell for reading alone or, better yet, aloud. (Young reader/Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-531-05965-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1993
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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