A simple story about a fortuitous friendship
Words are precious to Ebenezer, but none more than friendship.
Ebenezer collects words: “linguini,” “disappointment,” “possibility,” “catastrophe.” Words make him giddy but lonely. Other people just don’t understand him. When his family suggests ordinary names like Walter or Skipper for Ebenezer to name his goldfish, he instead decides on Arty, short for Carassius auratus. He considers his sister’s insistence on pink “exhausting.” When his classmates are not excited by words such as “parka” or “clamor,” Ebenezer is despondent. At his favorite library, he meets Fitzgerald, who is brimming over with a head full of stories but who lacks the words to tell them. Together, they form the ideal friendship. Lighthearted illustrations, primarily green, gray, and orange, infuse a note of cartoon humor to this slight story and provide some variety in the skin tones of the children in Ebenezer’s classroom; Ebenezer presents white, and Fitzgerald has brown skin. A few children lack mouths—including Fitzgerald at some points—which seems a bit off-putting at times. Additionally, at a time when the children’s-book industry needs affirming tales for children of color, it seems odd that Fitzgerald is the one in need of words, perhaps hinting at a learning disability. On the other hand, Ebenezer and Fitzgerald complement one another’s abilities. A glossary at the back offers a good learning opportunity for young logophiles.
A simple story about a fortuitous friendship . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-56145-848-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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