The traditional tale of the Great Flood gets a New World setting in this interesting retelling. When Kaputano told the Kariña people they must prepare for a great rain that would flood the earth, only four couples believed him. Together, they set out to hew a canoe from a huge tree, scraping and burning out the trunk. After collecting two of each animal and seeds from each plant, they boarded the vessel. The rains came, the water in the river rose, the treetops slowly disappeared, and the world was drowned in water. When it receded, the land was a barren place where no human could live, so Kaputano created the world anew for his people. The author and illustrator traveled to the Kariña people to do their research for this native tale, and their careful research shows. Amazingly detailed scratchboard illustrations dominate the pages, with the text relegated to small light-colored spaces on the edges. In a reversal of roles, the original story was rewritten for length after the illustrations were completed. Calderón’s (Buzz, Buzz, Buzz!, p. 806, etc.) native plants and animals of the Caribbean region come to life—from the sloths hanging in the trees and the ants crawling on deck, to the bright blue butterfly that seems to hover on the surface of the page, poised to fly away. The Kariña people are portrayed in breechcloths, short skirts, and bare chests; the final illustration is especially vibrant, showing the native costumes as the people dance and sing. Although universally known in its Biblical telling, this version proves the universality of culture and story. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-88899-444-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
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