Jarring art may keep readers from appreciating the book’s message.
In this wordless book, a dark cloud hovers literally—and figuratively—over young Rosie’s head until she finds a special pair of eyeglasses.
Grade schooler Rosie, a snub-nosed girl with a grim, crooked line for her mouth, is sitting in her bed, a puffy, sketchy gray cloud just above her. The world is black, white, and gray. Rain spatters against her bedroom’s windowpane, and the animals in the posters cluttering her walls look equally glum. Readers soon see her mother, father, and little brother—all of whom appear to be having a rough morning. More monochrome images, some with dizzying perspective and all with a great deal of activity, continue the theme of universal unhappiness for Rosie and almost everyone she encounters. When Rosie finds a pair of glasses and puts them on, the busy-ness of the art persists, but now it is in full, loud colors, previously gloomy people and animals are suddenly happy and engaged when viewed through the specs. What does this mean? When the glasses inevitably disappear, there is age-appropriate angst, followed by an ending inviting more speculation from readers. The idea is interesting, but the artwork’s jarring, jagged lines and perspectives have a fun house–like feel, which has the perhaps-unintentional effect of speeding readers through the book. Rosie’s family is an interracial one, with a white mom and Asian dad, while Rosie’s schoolteacher and some classmates are also diverse.
Jarring art may keep readers from appreciating the book’s message. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77138-991-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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