One of two new books about a bumbling, irrepressible young hippo whose cheerful goal is to help. Here, noticing ``a poor little monkey stuck in a tree,'' she leaps from her wallow and barges off to get him down, equally oblivious to advice, to the hapless other animals in her path, and to the true nature of monkeys—and hippos. Not until she has climbed the tree (``like a little monkey...oh!'') does it dawn on Betty that she's the one who now needs help; she doesn't know how to get down. However, the resilient palm (rather unrealistically) flips her back to her wallow, to the comic consternation of several wading flamingoes. Morgan's text bounces right along, propelled by colorful verbs detailing Betty's insouciant progress. A frog she accidentally saves en route adds interest to both the plot and the gleeful, meticulously rendered art; he shows up again as a bemused bystander in Helpful Betty Solves a Mystery (ISBN: 0-87614-832- 1). Unusually entertaining fare for beginning readers. (Easy reader. 4-8)
Pub Date: June 23, 1994
ISBN: 0-87614-831-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1994
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
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
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