A mostly delectable choice for late fall/early winter readings.
On a snowy afternoon, a mouse grandmother’s cooking aromas attract the noses of her neighbors.
A nice warm sopa, just enough for one, will make things cozy in Abuelita’s sagebrush house. As she cooks, stirs, tastes, and adds ingredients to her pot, the distinct smell of piñon smoke drifts through the wood. “Someone’s cooking something good.” Chipmunk, Rabbit, and Old Bear are determined to find out. “Is it sopa? Neighbors stare. / Three move closer, sniff the air.” But when Abuelita shows them her blue corn soup, the three friends can tell there is enough for only one. Not to worry; Abuelita has a plan for sharing. With each neighbor bringing the last of the fall harvest to Old Bear’s lair, the blue corn soup turns into a friendship stew for all to enjoy. Detailed illustrations drawn in graphite and watercolor washes elicit the charm of these anthropomorphic forest animals dressed in scarves, vest, and hat. The alluringly repetitive rhyme employs the motif of three and moves the story along in an engaging iteration that includes a refrain that’s altered slightly for each character. “Piñon smoke drifts through the wood. / Someone’s cooking something good. / Rabbit bounces, sniffs about. / Is it sopa? He’ll find out.” Three Spanish words—Abuelita, sopa, and amigos—sprinkled throughout are easily understood and add a Latinx flavor, though the decision to italicize the name “Abuelita” is distracting and somewhat off-putting.
A mostly delectable choice for late fall/early winter readings. (recipe) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58536-967-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
A steady paean to time’s passing and the pleasures found along the way.
A front-seat view of a school bus’s long and varied life.
Deftly invoking the anthropomorphized objects in books of old (as in the works of Virginia Lee Burton), Long introduces readers to a small town and the yellow bus that serves it. Using charcoal and graphite, the author/artist portrays a mostly black-and-white world; he relies on colorful acrylics to depict those who enter the bus (who's described with female pronouns), including children ferried to school. Time goes on, and the bus is repurposed to take the elderly around town. Later, she’s abandoned near an overpass but finds a new role sheltering unhoused people. Finally, she’s taken to a farm, where she becomes a playground for goats. With each iteration, we hear the sounds of her passengers, human and otherwise, and the repeated phrase “And they filled her with joy.” At long last a damming project leaves her underwater, but fish find a home in the bus and make her happy. A final view of the town displays a single wavery point of yellow visible beneath the water. Backmatter explains both Long’s inspiration and the model town he made as a visual aid. Though this is a tale of decay over time, the book’s gentle narration, fun sound effects, and empathy grant the old vehicle dignity in her deconstruction. Characters are diverse.
A steady paean to time’s passing and the pleasures found along the way. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9781250903136
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
