Off the coast of Key West, Florida, drifting on a sea of memories, floats Ernesto the cat, wetting his line in hopes of a meal. While he awaits a nibble, Ernesto ponders the meaning of his earlier eight lives, which included running with the bulls in Pamplona and eating 471 of Alice B.'s ``infamous brownies'' in Paris. Then his line snaps straight (``Carumba! It's a big one!'') and, towed by the unseen fish, he is taken on an extended tour of the Atlantic. When the fish does surface—an enormous white whale- -he offers Ernesto sage advice: ``Stay away from fishing. Try writing instead.'' Cech (First Snow, Magic Snow, 1992, etc.) acknowledges his homage to Hemingway in a note in the back; even so, children will find this plot governed more by caprice than by compelling story elements. Adults and other ``insiders'' (readers old enough to have passing familiarity with the references) will find this a clever piece, picaresque in its own right and possibly a springboard for exploring Hemingway's stories. Osborn's vibrant, evocative gouaches—in frames featuring cirrus, cumulus, and stratus clouds in a variety of configurations—sail right along with the narrative's fanciful tack. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-689-80510-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Every year since kindergarten, Harry’s Halloween costume has gotten scarier and scarier. What’s it going to be this year? He’s not telling. His classmates are all stunned when he shows up, not as some monster or a weird alien (well, not really)—but as neatly dressed Sgt. Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, wielding a notebook and out to get “just the facts, ma’am.” As she has in Harry’s 11 previous appearances (15, counting the ones his classmate Song Lee headlines), Kline (Marvin and the Mean Words, 1997, etc.) captures grammar-school atmosphere, personalities, and incidents perfectly, from snits to science projects gone hilariously wrong. She even hands Harry/Friday a chance to exercise his sleuthing abilities, with a supply of baby powder “fairy dust” gone mysteriously missing. As legions of fans have learned to expect, Harry comes through with flying colors, pinning down the remorseful culprit in 11 minutes flat. No surprises here, just reliable, child-friendly, middle-grade fare. Illustrations not seen. (Fiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-670-88864-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2000
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