An amusing story of imagination crashing with reality, balanced well with skillful illustrations.
In Hoff’s illustrated children’s book, a young boy sets out to prove that he is, in fact, a pirate.
One morning, a boy named Stephen stands up on his kitchen chair and announces his new occupation. In response, his sister, Alicia, notes, “I don’t think pirates stand of kitchen chairs.” “They do when they’re not at sea,” counters Stephen. This isn’t the first time that Stephen has decided to have a new job; it’s revealed that, on previous occasions, he’d said that he was an astronaut and a professional heel-toe polka dancer. But unlike those unsuccessful attempts at being something other than a young boy standing at his kitchen table, he’s truly dedicated to being a pirate this time—and he leaves his home to prove it. Almost immediately, he runs into an elderly bakery owner who claims to have once been a pirate inspector for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. To prove his worth, Stephen agrees to undertake a series of tests which don’t seem particularly piratelike, such as pulling weeds and sweeping away cobwebs, all while passing by other kids who aren’t pirates but seem to be having a lot more fun than he is. Throughout Hoff’s book, there’s a pleasing mix of rhyme, dialogue, and a few full-page illustrations that keep the story bouncing along and make it well-suited for a read-aloud. Stephen is a believable and relatable character, and his changing emotions during his journey are sharply captured by Froese’s somewhat-minimalistic full-color cartoon illustrations. The bakery owner’s escalation of alleged pirate tests will amuse young readers, and her expressions of faux-surprise are well-rendered. Both Stephen and the bakery owner are portrayed with pale skin; other children have a range of skin tones.
An amusing story of imagination crashing with reality, balanced well with skillful illustrations.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
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