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ANGELINA AND THE PRINCESS
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ANGELINA AND THE PRINCESS

From the Angelina Ballerina series

by Katharine Holabird ; illustrated by Helen Craig ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1984

If Holabird can continue to come up with empathic roles for Angelina, the series should have a devoted following.

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Angelina the winsome mouse ballerina, who debuted auspiciously last year, here encounters the perils of the performing life. On the day of tryouts for a special Royal Performance, she sneaks off with her ballet bag unbeknownst to her mother—busy in the kitchen of their thatched English snuggery (while a mouse Pierrot, one of many visual grace-notes, slumps mournfully at the window). But once on stage she gets dizzy and falls—and the leading roles in the Dance of the Flower Fairies go to Flora and Felicity. Mama is reproachful, then consoling, then affirmative: "You can still do your best with whatever part you are given, and that will help the whole performance." Angelina not only learns her own part, she memorizes the Dance of the Flower Fairies—and when Flora sprains her ankle the day of the Royal Performance, who do you think…? But this is a kindly story, so Flora gets to sit right next to the Princess of Mouseland—whom she eyes worshipfully, while all other eyes are on the stage. Like its predecessor, this is a dainty, even delectable-looking book without the least preciousness. If Holabird can continue to come up with empathic roles for Angelina, the series should have a devoted following. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1984

ISBN: 978-1-5344-6961-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Review Posted Online: May 21, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1984

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

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PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
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PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

by James Dean ; illustrated by James Dean ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among

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Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.

If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

More by Kimberly Dean

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HELLO, SUN!
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HELLO, SUN!

by Lala Watkins ; illustrated by Lala Watkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2025

Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!

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Fun with friends makes for a great day.

Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”

Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025

ISBN: 9780593646212

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Seuss Studios

Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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