A clear moral caps an enigmatic and unsatisfying story.
A quiet tale of selfishness and generosity.
The plot begins simply: The wind carries off Elephant’s beloved umbrella and gives it to Leopard. Leopard tells the umbrella that he’ll take her hunting and “sit under you and eat [his prey].” Umbrella, revealed to be sentient, doesn’t like this proposition and asks the wind to take her somewhere else. When the wind takes Umbrella to Bear, he tells her that he’ll take all the honey from the bees and “sit under you and eat all the honey by myself.” “No, no,” Umbrella responds and begins to look everywhere for Elephant, who had used her to shield others—mice and rabbits—from the rain. The wind returns Umbrella to Elephant, and all is well. Khodai contributes striking, collage-effect illustrations that render the umbrella as a vivid fuchsia with yellow, green, and blue circles on it. The animals are simply formed and childlike, sporting smiles and expressively beady eyes. Some details may perplex readers. An intermittently appearing scribbly black mass may have readers struggling to decode its purpose. The text has little momentum, moreover, and the denouement comes far too quickly and without any real conflict beyond Umbrella’s distress at her potential uses.
A clear moral caps an enigmatic and unsatisfying story. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-910328-54-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Tiny Owl
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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