This story about finding one’s legs doesn’t stand up.
A tadpole reluctantly finds his land legs.
Tad loves life in the pond with his friends, playing underwater baseball and using his tail to defend against bullies. When the inevitable progress of a frog’s life cycle leads to his developing legs, he worries that he’s “turning into a monster.” When Aunt Salamander reassures him that he’s “just growing up,” the young amphibian grumps that he doesn’t want to. He mopes around, railing against the loss of his beloved tail and seething with jealousy around younger tadpoles. A sinister snake tries to gain his trust, agreeing that “Legs are useless,” and tries to lure him closer. Under threat, “Tad’s legs reacted naturally. With very little effort, he sprang high out of the water and landed beside the pond!” The illustrations, mostly of underwater scenes, are lovely, fluid and lush in a muted palette and populated with a variety of expressive aquatic creatures. Unfortunately, the story, translated into English from German, is encumbered by unnecessary detail, the prose is stilted, and the dialogue teeters between whiny and preachy. Children with an attachment to little green hoppers will enjoy the illustrations, but caregivers reading it aloud will wish for something better.
This story about finding one’s legs doesn’t stand up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-988-8341-92-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: minedition
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
A steady paean to time’s passing and the pleasures found along the way.
A front-seat view of a school bus’s long and varied life.
Deftly invoking the anthropomorphized objects in books of old (as in the works of Virginia Lee Burton), Long introduces readers to a small town and the yellow bus that serves it. Using charcoal and graphite, the author/artist portrays a mostly black-and-white world; he relies on colorful acrylics to depict those who enter the bus (who's described with female pronouns), including children ferried to school. Time goes on, and the bus is repurposed to take the elderly around town. Later, she’s abandoned near an overpass but finds a new role sheltering unhoused people. Finally, she’s taken to a farm, where she becomes a playground for goats. With each iteration, we hear the sounds of her passengers, human and otherwise, and the repeated phrase “And they filled her with joy.” At long last a damming project leaves her underwater, but fish find a home in the bus and make her happy. A final view of the town displays a single wavery point of yellow visible beneath the water. Backmatter explains both Long’s inspiration and the model town he made as a visual aid. Though this is a tale of decay over time, the book’s gentle narration, fun sound effects, and empathy grant the old vehicle dignity in her deconstruction. Characters are diverse.
A steady paean to time’s passing and the pleasures found along the way. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9781250903136
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
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