Simple words can still surprise with adventure and humor. Cowabunga! (Early reader. 6-9)
Who would have thought that a balding white homebody and his orange cat could become beloved stars of a long-running series for first- and second-graders?
In the 25th installment of the ongoing saga of Mr. Putter and Tabby, Mr. Putter waxes nostalgic about the joys of sledding. Then ever ready and daring neighbor Mrs. Teaberry, also white, produces sleds. The adventurers take off—down the hill like a rocket after her bulldog, Zeke, and his cat, Tabby, who also share a sled. The expressions of horror on Tabby's face are priceless. The après-sledding comfort of a warm bath, muffins and cream, and a cozy chair are palpable. Rylant proves once again that it is possible to turn an elegant phrase, even with a limited word list. “The next thing Mr. Putter knew, / he had no sled, / no cat, / and no fun. / Fun was already halfway down the slope.” The arrangement of the simple, declarative text, with repeated words lined up, helps beginning readers decode and read fluently. Howard's pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations both reflect the text and provide contextual cues as well as adding to the subtle humor.
Simple words can still surprise with adventure and humor. Cowabunga! (Early reader. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-15-206427-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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