A story of family transitions and childhood milestones that marks another fine addition to a cozy British series.
Rescue dog McTavish helps his young human adjust when they move to a new house.
The fourth installment in the McTavish Stories series sees the tightknit Peachey family moving to a new neighborhood thanks to Pa Peachey’s new job. Moving also means changing schools for Betty and Ollie but not for oldest child Ava. While the three siblings are not thrilled about leaving behind the only home they have ever known, Betty, the youngest, is the one most anxious about the big changes ahead. Eventually, though, we all—even dogs—have to face the unknown and take the first step into a new life. And having a canine pal like McTavish can help when it comes to making new friends. This fast-paced transitional chapter book is peppered with well-placed grayscale illustrations. They show that the Peachey family members have pale and tan skin tones and that Betty’s classmates are casually diverse. The story can be used to teach children about the dangers of taking dogs into public spaces and not penning them up when appropriate. In a book that generally feels old-fashioned, the appearance of a mobile phone is a bit jarring.
A story of family transitions and childhood milestones that marks another fine addition to a cozy British series. (Transitional chapter book. 7-10)Pub Date: June 28, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1376-8
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2022
Lively fun with animal friends.
Has Plum’s pep deserted him?
Several animals from the Athensville Zoo are on their way to visit an elementary school. Overconfident Itch the ningbing (an Australian marsupial), unaware that zookeeper Lizzie will be doing all the talking, looks forward to “lecturing eager young minds.” Plum, the usually chipper peacock, on the other hand, is anxious—maybe the schoolchildren won’t like him or he’ll get lost. So when they arrive at the school to find the students have been sent home due to a blizzard, Plum is relieved. The animals are left in a school gym for the night until three self-important class mice free them. Itch heads for the library to meet the learned turtle, but Plum reluctantly explores with his friends. When his anxiety peaks, they reassure him, and when the mice reject Meg, another peacock, as “borrrring” and uncool, they buoy her as well before everyone comes together to save Itch, who finds himself outside and stranded in a snowdrift. Unlike Leave It to Plum (2022), this is not a mystery, and the relationship focus shifts from Lizzie to the rodents, but the pace is brisk, and sequel seekers will be pleased to revisit familiar characters (if dismayed that Itch’s longing for knowledge leads to his downfall). In Phelan’s engaging grayscale pen-and-wash illustrations, Lizzie has short curly hair; text and art cue her as Latine.
Lively fun with animal friends. (how to draw Plum) (Chapter book. 7-10)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-06-307920-5
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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Another winner from Mills, equally well suited to reading aloud and independent reading.
When Franklin School principal Mr. Boone announces a pet-show fundraiser, white third-grader Cody—whose lack of skill and interest in academics is matched by keen enthusiasm for and knowledge of animals—discovers his time to shine.
As with other books in this series, the children and adults are believable and well-rounded. Even the dialogue is natural—no small feat for a text easily accessible to intermediate readers. Character growth occurs, organically and believably. Students occasionally, humorously, show annoyance with teachers: “He made mad squinty eyes at Mrs. Molina, which fortunately she didn’t see.” Readers will be kept entertained by Cody’s various problems and the eventual solutions. His problems include needing to raise $10 to enter one of his nine pets in the show (he really wants to enter all of them), his troublesome dog Angus—“a dog who ate homework—actually, who ate everything and then threw up afterward”—struggles with homework, and grappling with his best friend’s apparently uncaring behavior toward a squirrel. Serious values and issues are explored with a light touch. The cheery pencil illustrations show the school’s racially diverse population as well as the memorable image of Mr. Boone wearing an elephant costume. A minor oddity: why does a child so immersed in animal facts call his male chicken a rooster but his female chickens chickens?
Another winner from Mills, equally well suited to reading aloud and independent reading. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: June 14, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-374-30223-8
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
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BOOK REVIEW
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