A mix of fact and fiction, this is a lovely tribute to the muse of music. In the summer of 1893, the composer Anton Dvorák traveled with his family to Spillville, Iowa, a town settled by people from his homeland of Czechoslovakia. A bird called a Scarlet Tanager also made a journey to Spillville, and when the two met, beautiful music was made. Schaefer (Down in the Woods at Sleepytime, 2000, etc.) tells the story of Dvorák’s search for the elusive bird whose song had captured his imagination. He wandered the countryside, listening to the sounds of nature that inspired his music—sounds that ripple across the pages of the book. Meanwhile, the bird found a mate, built a nest, sang with its ladylove, and trilled messages to the other birds. Within days of his arrival, Dvorák filled a notebook, and his shirt cuffs, with musical notes—his American Quartet. And as the four musicians played the new piece of music, the Scarlet Tanager heard the sound of his own song, and stopped in the window to sing along for just a moment. Rosen’s (The Soul of Africa, 2000, etc.) oil paintings truly bring this story to life. Her bold brush strokes and bright colors are reminiscent of Van Gogh, and bring a warm feeling to the entire story. The author’s note fills in the details of Dvorák’s trip to Spillville. What a wonderful way to introduce children to the world of music, and to the inspiration that is all around them. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2001
ISBN: 0-375-81022-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with...
Reynolds and Brown have crafted a Halloween tale that balances a really spooky premise with the hilarity that accompanies any mention of underwear.
Jasper Rabbit needs new underwear. Plain White satisfies him until he spies them: “Creepy underwear! So creepy! So comfy! They were glorious.” The underwear of his dreams is a pair of radioactive-green briefs with a Frankenstein face on the front, the green color standing out all the more due to Brown’s choice to do the entire book in grayscale save for the underwear’s glowing green…and glow they do, as Jasper soon discovers. Despite his “I’m a big rabbit” assertion, that glow creeps him out, so he stuffs them in the hamper and dons Plain White. In the morning, though, he’s wearing green! He goes to increasing lengths to get rid of the glowing menace, but they don’t stay gone. It’s only when Jasper finally admits to himself that maybe he’s not such a big rabbit after all that he thinks of a clever solution to his fear of the dark. Brown’s illustrations keep the backgrounds and details simple so readers focus on Jasper’s every emotion, writ large on his expressive face. And careful observers will note that the underwear’s expression also changes, adding a bit more creep to the tale.
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with Dr. Seuss’ tale of animate, empty pants. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0298-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
One of the watershed moments in African-American history—the defeat of James Braddock at the hands of Joe Louis—is here given an earnest picture-book treatment. Despite his lack of athletic ability, Sammy wants desperately to be a great boxer, like his hero, getting boxing lessons from his friend Ernie in exchange for help with schoolwork. However hard he tries, though, Sammy just can’t box, and his father comforts him, reminding him that he doesn’t need to box: Joe Louis has shown him that he “can be the champion at anything [he] want[s].” The high point of this offering is the big fight itself, everyone crowded around the radio in Mister Jake’s general store, the imagined fight scenes played out in soft-edged sepia frames. The main story, however, is so bent on providing Sammy and the reader with object lessons that all subtlety is lost, as Mister Jake, Sammy’s father, and even Ernie hammer home the message. Both text and oil-on-canvas-paper illustrations go for the obvious angle, making the effort as a whole worthy, but just a little too heavy-handed. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 2004
ISBN: 1-58430-161-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
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