A playful read for outer-space enthusiasts.
An imaginative tale and an informal astronomy lesson rolled into one book.
Nova the star eater eats any star in sight: supergiants, white dwarfs, blue giants, binaries, you name it. On her way through space, she gulps Earth’s sun, creating panic on the planet. The leaders of the world gather and dispatch their “best astronauts” to get their sun back. They plead with Nova: “The people on Earth need it to survive! The Sun provides energy for plants to grow, light so we can see, and heat to keep us warm.” Back on Earth, leaders and scientists discuss how best to get the sun out of Nova when (slightly out of the blue) the (female) leader of the United States’ daughter, a bright, young, brown-skinned girl, speaks into a microphone: “We could tickle her.” Nova agrees, and so, using the ocean waves and treetops and aided by a spaceship’s robotic arm, the Earth proceeds to tickle Nova. Leslie’s narrative is somewhat arbitrary and clunky but will still entertain readers. Kim’s illustrations incorporate vibrant colors when depicting the solar system, while humans back on Earth are rendered in taupe, browns, and greens (earth tones, appropriately enough). Seeing men and women leaders from around the globe and astronauts of various shades is wonderfully refreshing. An author’s note on the science behind the story punctuates the book; a small glossary is also provided for inquisitive young readers.
A playful read for outer-space enthusiasts. (bibliography) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 21, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-62414-693-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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