A very handsome, fundamental introduction to a fish that captures the attention, imagination and heart.
A lovely, gentle examination of this most charming and fascinating of sea creatures.
Written in clear, straightforward yet poetic prose, this small book conveys basic information in an awestruck tone befitting this ethereal animal. Wallace’s softly colored and delicately textured, digitally created artwork beautifully captures the seahorse’s graceful, lyrical movements and lush habitat. Close-ups bring out its remarkable appearance. Most delightful are the scenes with a mated pair, their tails coiled. One senses that perhaps only such otherworldly creatures could form a perfect heart while in each other’s embrace. Young readers will be captivated to learn that seahorses, like chameleons, change color to match their environment and that males carry their mate’s eggs and, amazingly, give birth to live young. The author has not provided a bibliography, though many books about seahorses have been written for young readers. She includes a list of websites for further inquiry and inspiration.
A very handsome, fundamental introduction to a fish that captures the attention, imagination and heart. (glossary, author's note) (Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9239-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: July 24, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2012
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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