Ewetopia lives among a flock of the humorless and uptight. She has an issue, too—she’s uncomfortable in her own wool—but her need to hide in an outfit is carried out with a degree of panache. Still, her cohorts don’t get her act, and they are positively offended when she arrives at the Woolyones’ Costume Ball dressed as a wolf, which seems like a natural. When a character dressed as a sheep appears, no one’s the wiser until he rips off his disguise, revealing himself as a wolf, and snatches a few ewes for supper. The wolf has an Achilles heel, though—he thinks Ewetopia is his mother. Gaining on this advantage, Ewetopia demands the wolf do a number of chores before dinner is served. He has a fit, storms out of the ball and the lambs’ chops are saved. Munsinger’s artwork catches the quiet to madcap moods of the book, but the usually spot-on Lester is groping for a coherent story line. The cobbled result has humorous parts—the wolf’s tantrum and some enjoyable “Who’s on First” wordplay. But the book fails to gel, and why any of this should result in Ewetopia’s acceptance of her own true self is a mystery. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-618-86844-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Walter Lorraine/Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2007
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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