Ultimately, though mildly amusing, there’s no real magic here.
It’s the old story: will cat and dog play, er, cat-and-mouse games—or join forces?
Officer Katz, chief cop of Kitty City and an exceptional inventor, is retiring. His goal before leaving law enforcement? To do what no cat has done before: catch Houndini, the renowned dog escape artist. Houndini’s in town for his annual performance, and Katz is determined finally to nab him. In this thin story filled with animal-themed puns whose meanings will, alas, elude younger members of the target audience (“paw-parazzi,” anyone?), storyline logic escapes as well. Children may be puzzled by the central premise that the cat needs to capture Houndini, particularly since it’s noted that the dog is welcomed every year by enraptured feline crowds. Determined to pull off his final caper, Katz utilizes one ingenious invention after another, but presto! Houndini always foils him— except for Katz’s final attempt when he unwittingly ensnares the dog in his most clever contraption. Houndini then convinces Katz they should become a team, and Katz agrees to join the traveling act, making for a somewhat satisfying, though unconvincing, ending. Broadcasting early on that Houndini’s frustrated that his act has become lackluster also means few surprises in the final scene. The cheery, lively illustrations, which feature an expressive, all-animal cast of varied species, sizes, and colors, depict an elongated, uniformed Katz and stout, mustachioed Houndini; humorous newspaper “headlines” will capture attention.
Ultimately, though mildly amusing, there’s no real magic here. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2265-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
Hee haw.
The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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