Poor Charlie is stuck with parents who have no appreciation for her wild, sometimes messy imagination in Lobel’s amusing US debut. First, Dad is unable to see the beauty in the chocolate pudding comprised of “dark crumbly earth . . . a handful of pebbles for raisins and a sprinkling of sand for sugar,” that Charlie creates for Grandpa in the kitchen. To make matters worse, the big storm that washes over her boats in the bathroom lake translates into a soaked floor for angry Mom. With Panda the stuffed bear as her silent ally, Charlie decides to run away to “somewhere nice . . . where there’s no cross people.” A journey to the backyard jungle starts out well, and Charlie enjoys a game of shipwreck in the green waves of grass. But the fun ends abruptly when she gets thirsty, and the weather becomes dark and rainy. Despite Panda’s tendency to panic, Charlie never loses her nerve and is even able to help Grandpa to safety when he shows up lost in her jungle. Rich, colorful illustrations add a charming element to this tale that poignantly depicts the conflict between a child’s languorous fantasy world and her parents’ harried reality. Charlie looks particularly cherubic in her bright yellow sweater adorned with pompom tassels, purple and orange polka-dot rainboots, and red-apple-rosy cheeks. A happy ending with a reassurance that, yes indeed, many people do love Charlie. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2002
ISBN: 1-56148-368-0
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Good Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author’s track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25248-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
SEEN & HEARD
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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