As in the sea, there’s something in this volume’s abundance for most everyone, and it will amply reward repeat visitors, who...
Waves, tides, sands, oh my!
More than 50 poems, some rhyming and some providing punchy tidbits of information, make up this exuberant collection, which is divided into four themed sections: “Down by the Shore,” “Journeys,” “Under the Sea,” and “Wonders.” Each section includes a group of (mostly) short verses that illuminate the delightful experience of being in, under, or near the ocean. The poems shimmer with vivid imagery and sparkling language as they extol carefree activities such as swimming, beachcombing, surfing, building a sand castle, observing sundry aquatic creatures in and out of the water, sailing, and discovering the fun to be had on a pier. Additionally, there are poems about exploring, deriving sustenance and livelihood from the sea, and identifying ships and nautical knots. They’re lovely as both read-alouds and pieces to memorize. The lively watercolors drive the poems, and many, together with accompanying poems, expand across two-page spreads. The charming artwork is awash in blue and other magical sea colors and teems with realistic details, movement, and life; note a jaw-dropping gatefold of a humpback whale with instructions on singing a humpback’s “song.” Sea life is depicted in an amazing variety of forms; humans are shown as diverse in skin tone, hair color, size, and age.
As in the sea, there’s something in this volume’s abundance for most everyone, and it will amply reward repeat visitors, who will benefit from its largesse. (Poetry. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9882-9
Page Count: 104
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
A well-meaning but lackluster tribute.
Readers bid farewell to a beloved canine character.
Momo is—or was—an adorable and very photogenic border collie owned by author Knapp. The many readers who loved him in the previous half-dozen books are in for a shock with this one. “Momo had died” is the stark reality—and there are no photographs of him here. Instead, Momo has been replaced by a flat cartoonish pastiche with strange, staring round white eyes, inserted into some of Knapp’s photography (which remains appealing, insofar as it can be discerned under the mixed media). Previous books contained few or no words. Unfortunately, virtuosity behind a lens does not guarantee mastery of verse. The art here is accompanied by words that sometimes rhyme but never find a workable or predictable rhythm (“We’d fetch and we’d catch, / we’d run and we’d jump. Every day we found new / games to play”). It’s a pity, because the subject—a pet’s death—is an important one to address with children. Of course, Momo isn’t gone; he can still be found “everywhere” in memories. But alas, he can be found here only in the crude depictions of the darling dog so well known from the earlier books.
A well-meaning but lackluster tribute. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781683693864
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Another playful imagination-stretcher.
Markle invites children to picture themselves living in the homes of 11 wild animals.
As in previous entries in the series, McWilliam’s illustrations of a diverse cast of young people fancifully imitating wild creatures are paired with close-up photos of each animal in a like natural setting. The left side of one spread includes a photo of a black bear nestling in a cozy winter den, while the right side features an image of a human one cuddled up with a bear. On another spread, opposite a photo of honeybees tending to newly hatched offspring, a human “larva” lounges at ease in a honeycomb cell, game controller in hand, as insect attendants dish up goodies. A child with an eye patch reclines on an orb weaver spider’s web, while another wearing a head scarf constructs a castle in a subterranean chamber with help from mound-building termites. Markle adds simple remarks about each type of den, nest, or burrow and basic facts about its typical residents, then closes with a reassuring reminder to readers that they don’t have to live as animals do, because they will “always live where people live.” A select gallery of traditional homes, from igloo and yurt to mudhif, follows a final view of the young cast waving from a variety of differently styled windows.
Another playful imagination-stretcher. (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9781339049052
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
