An interesting, mysterious story with memorable illustrations.
This slightly spooky tale, based on a true story, recalls a mysterious visitor to the Squires family, who were living in a lighthouse in Newfoundland in the 1970s.
Sisters Esther and Meranda move into the old lighthouse with their mother and artist father in the fall; the family is white. The lighthouse, with no running water and minimal heating, is located 2 miles from the village of Ferryland. One night just before Halloween, an older white man unexpectedly knocks on the door of the lighthouse, saying that the family dog asked him to come in. The old-timer tells the family all about his past life in Ferryland and his years as the village policeman. The next day, Esther and her father learn that this policeman has been dead for 20 years. By the next summer, the family is settled in and the mother has opened a pottery shop. There they meet the visiting daughter of the policeman, who tells them that her father always told people, “Your dog asked me to come in.” The narrative, lengthy for the format, is told in the authoritative, compelling style of a campfire ghost story, with plenty of geographical references and atmospheric details. The story is illustrated with vintage photographs of family members and the area along with beautiful oil paintings by Squires, the artist father of the family.
An interesting, mysterious story with memorable illustrations. (author’s note, publisher’s note) (Picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: June 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-927917-05-3
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Running the Goat
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
Alert readers will find the implicit morals: know your audience, mostly, but also never underestimate the power of “rock”...
The theme of persistence (for better or worse) links four tales of magic, trickery, and near disasters.
Lachenmeyer freely borrows familiar folkloric elements, subjecting them to mildly comical twists. In the nearly wordless “Hip Hop Wish,” a frog inadvertently rubs a magic lamp and finds itself saddled with an importunate genie eager to shower it with inappropriate goods and riches. In the title tale, an increasingly annoyed music-hating witch transforms a persistent minstrel into a still-warbling cow, horse, sheep, goat, pig, duck, and rock in succession—then is horrified to catch herself humming a tune. Athesius the sorcerer outwits Warthius, a rival trying to steal his spells via a parrot, by casting silly ones in Ig-pay Atin-lay in the third episode, and in the finale, a painter’s repeated efforts to create a flattering portrait of an ogre king nearly get him thrown into a dungeon…until he suddenly understands what an ogre’s idea of “flattering” might be. The narratives, dialogue, and sound effects leave plenty of elbow room in Blocker’s big, brightly colored panels for the expressive animal and human(ish) figures—most of the latter being light skinned except for the golden genie, the blue ogre, and several people of color in the “Sorcerer’s New Pet.”
Alert readers will find the implicit morals: know your audience, mostly, but also never underestimate the power of “rock” music. (Graphic short stories. 8-10)Pub Date: June 18, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-59643-750-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
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