In a tale that decidedly misses the mark, a child keeps trading toys and other items because she becomes bored with them—but at the same time shows a vivid streak of imagination. Dissatisfied with her sidewalk pictures, Sara “tricks” Tim into exchanging his marbles for her chalk by billing it as magic chalk that will make drawings come to life. As Tim happily disappears with the large dragon he creates, Sara discovers that the marbles won’t roll straight, so she convinces Sam that they’re real pearls and trades for a lollipop. Coveting Rob’s yo-yo, she promises him that a lick of the lollipop will turn him into a scientific genius. And so on. Rich in fine detail, Tolman’s pretty, delicately drawn illustrations show Sara racing away with each new possession as, behind her, its delighted former owner is immersed in a bright new playscape. Ultimately, that chalk comes around again, and Sara concludes that she can at least draw a hopscotch board and invite all of her friends to play. Readers will be unmoved by the weak ending, and even non-reflective ones will come away wondering why Sara doesn’t just put herself into one of her own enticing scenarios. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-932145-79-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Lemniscaat/Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2006
BOOK REVIEW
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
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your dreads! Isadora once again plies her hand using colorful, textured collages to depict her fourth fairy tale relocated to Africa. The narrative follows the basic story line: Taken by an evil sorceress at birth, Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower; Rapunzel and the prince “get married” in the tower and she gets pregnant. The sorceress cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and tricks the prince, who throws himself from the tower and is blinded by thorns. The terse ending states: “The prince led Rapunzel and their twins to his kingdom, where they were received with great joy and lived happily every after.” Facial features, clothing, dreadlocks, vultures and the prince riding a zebra convey a generic African setting, but at times, the mixture of patterns and textures obfuscates the scenes. The textile and grain characteristic of the hewn art lacks the elegant romance of Zelinksy’s Caldecott version. Not a first purchase, but useful in comparing renditions to incorporate a multicultural aspect. (Picture book/fairy tale. 6-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-399-24772-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2008
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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