A small boy selects an unlikely bedmate in this quirky tale from the author of the popular Davy Rabbit series (Happy Birthday, Davy!, 2000, etc.). As young Ben reluctantly trudges off to bed, his mother attempts to cheer him up by suggesting various stuffed companions with which he can sleep. Weninger’s wry humor surfaces in the ensuing dialogue between mother and son. Ben’s mother eagerly offers the softest, sweetest stuffed animals; yet a cozy teddy bear, a faithful stuffed pup, and a comical clown don’t make the grade. When Ben ultimately makes his selection—a fearsomely constructed stuffed toy—his mother is appalled. However, Ben’s response is keenly astute: “I know . . . He is very terrible and strong and mean. And that’s why I want him.” Weninger’s tale reveals that stout pragmatism of young children, which often leaves adults mystified. Readers will appreciate Ben’s reasoning: after all, what better to chase away the night frights than a creature that’s scarier than a young child’s rampant imaginings. Marks’s full-page watercolors are marvelously expressive. From Ben’s forlorn face to the hopeful stances of the rejected toys, his imaginative paintings draw readers into Ben’s world. One note of caution: the illustrations of Ben’s toy of choice elevates this tale from preschool appropriateness to young grade-schoolers; while little ones may take fright at the fierce ghoulishness of the toy, older, savvier ones will appreciate it’s macabre effectiveness. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7358-1602-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2002
Give this child’s-eye view of a day at the beach with an attentive father high marks for coziness: “When your ball blows across the sand and into the ocean and starts to drift away, your daddy could say, Didn’t I tell you not to play too close to the waves? But he doesn’t. He wades out into the cold water. And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.” Alley depicts a moppet and her relaxed-looking dad (to all appearances a single parent) in informally drawn beach and domestic settings: playing together, snuggling up on the sofa and finally hugging each other goodnight. The third-person voice is a bit distancing, but it makes the togetherness less treacly, and Dad’s mix of love and competence is less insulting, to parents and children both, than Douglas Wood’s What Dads Can’t Do (2000), illus by Doug Cushman. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: May 23, 2005
ISBN: 0-618-00361-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers.
Two little rats decide to show the world how tough they are, with unpredictable results.
Louie and Ralphie Ratso want to be just like their single dad, Big Lou: tough! They know that “tough” means doing mean things to other animals, like stealing Chad Badgerton’s hat. Chad Badgerton is a big badger, so taking that hat from him proves that Louie and Ralphie are just as tough as they want to be. However, it turns out that Louie and Ralphie have just done a good deed instead of a bad one: Chad Badgerton had taken that hat from little Tiny Crawley, a mouse, so when Tiny reclaims it, they are celebrated for goodness rather than toughness. Sadly, every attempt Louie and Ralphie make at doing mean things somehow turns nice. What’s a little boy rat supposed to do to be tough? Plus, they worry about what their dad will say when he finds out how good they’ve been. But wait! Maybe their dad has some other ideas? LaReau keeps the action high and completely appropriate for readers embarking on chapter books. Each of the first six chapters features a new, failed attempt by Louie and Ralphie to be mean, and the final, seventh chapter resolves everything nicely. The humor springs from their foiled efforts and their reactions to their failures. Myers’ sprightly grayscale drawings capture action and characters and add humorous details, such as the Ratsos’ “unwelcome” mat.
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7636-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
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