An etiquette guide for the very young—with an ironic twist. A brother/sister duo solemnly declares their intent to exhibit exemplary manners as they mature. The siblings’ catalogue of social niceties runs the gamut: saying please and thank you; proper table manners; playground rules; and telephone behavior. Ziefert (Hats Off for the Fourth of July, p. 642, etc.) reveals a keen understanding of children’s penchant for the unvarnished truth; including in her gentle admonishments the idea of graciously accepting a gift, whether it’s wanted or not. However, lest adults think this is a tale of pattern-card perfect conduct for little ones, a quick peek at Demarest’s uproarious watercolor illustrations and the attendant captions will rapidly upend that misguided notion. Beneath each dictate is an illustration that portrays a reality far removed from the purported ideal. For example, the demure statement “I’ll put a napkin in my lap. And I’ll use it!” is accompanied by a picture depicting the young boy vigorously blowing his nose into his napkin at the dinner table. Demarest’s celebration of youthful social solecisms is right on target, destined to evoke groans (or guffaws) from adults and sheepish giggles from kids. The framed artwork, with vivid hues and oversized format, is the focal point of each page and terrific for sharing in a group setting. The deadpan delivery of Ziefert’s pragmatic text, combined with Demarest’s waggish illustrations, makes for a raucously funny tale and a rambunctious read-aloud. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-399-23558-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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