This tale of a shrinking girl is both engaging and imaginative. In the spring, Mary Margaret plants a tree in her backyard. Weary from the task, she finds herself getting small, while the tree grows up before her eyes. She climbs into the tree and, during the passing seasons, observes its natural processes, both pleasant and unpleasant, from watching a nest of birds hatching to Mary Margaret's almost becoming another bird's meal. Winter comes, and Mary Margaret rides a leaf to the safety of a cave, where she hibernates until spring. That's when she takes root and becomes a tree. The reverie is broken when her mother calls her in for dinner; her tree-planting gear is still beside her. Drawson's fetchingly flighty pictures are the ideal counterpoint to the serious theme. Mary Margaret takes some amazing transformations in stride, and whether she's curled up in hibernation or bent over her dinner at the end, she's a heroine who doesn't merely accept her lot, but makes the very best of it. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-531-09521-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1996
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
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