Appealing illustrations combine with lots of text to make this a great read for children transitioning from picture books to...
In the first installment of Blanchard’s 10-part picture-book series, 8-year-old Amelia embarks on an outer-space mission with her alien friend Uglesnoo.
Amelia opens a birthday present to find what appears to be a doll in the likeness of a three-armed creature with an octopus head. Though Amelia swears she sees the doll wink, her mother assures her that it’s an inanimate object. Later in the night, the doll awakens Amelia, introducing himself as Uglesnoo. The strange creature explains that he landed there by mistake and must return to space to procure a healing crystal for his ill sister. Uglesnoo invites Amelia on his journey, promising through magical space-time to have her back before her parents wake in the morning. Amelia agrees, and they set off for the moon, where they meet other friendly alien characters with similarly cute names such as the Moochins and King Suli the Serious. Blanchard uses vibrant shades of cool violet contrasted with buttery yellow to set a warm, energetic atmosphere. The images’ bold hues and three dimensionality have the characters cartoonishly popping off the page in a way sure to engage young readers. The large serif text is also easy on the eyes for both young readers and their caretakers. Blanchard’s illustrations continue throughout, but the story is heavy on text, with some pages including only words. Though the dynamic images are likely to draw in readers of any young age, the tale’s length and complexity may make it best suited for children 5 to 9. Either way, the mission isn’t completed, since Uglesnoo must continue to other locations in space to procure more trade items, setting the stage for the next installment.
Appealing illustrations combine with lots of text to make this a great read for children transitioning from picture books to chapter books.Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2015
ISBN: 978-1500496586
Page Count: 54
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: April 8, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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