Not likely to sneak past the early-reader set.
Giff’s Fiercely and Friends early-reader series limps along with this not-so-suspenseful tale.
The trio of Jilli, Jim and dog Fiercely who spied on a neighbor and her Big Red Schoolhouse, return for another semimysterious adventure. During a terrific snowstorm, Jilli has to take a break from reading to Fiercely about a sneaky snow fox—the story is just too scary. Jumping at every sound and seeing a snow fox around every corner, she is terrified by a knock on the door. It turns out to be just her friend, Jim. But while the door is open, the dog runs outside. The duo watch from an upstairs window as Fiercely tunnels his way toward a suspiciously foxy-looking tail in the snow. Is he brave or does he need help? The friends share Jim’s pair of skis and rush to the rescue. The ending will satisfy beginning readers with its coziness and lack of fright, though the buildup is overlong and repetitious. The four chapter divisions seem arbitrary, and the text suffers from the same exposition problems as the first title in the series (The Big Something, 2012), telling all the action rather than showing. Palmisciano’s oil pastels nicely convey the children’s emotions, though the ambiguity that "conceals" the identity of the snow fox may leave readers frustrated rather than amused.
Not likely to sneak past the early-reader set. (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-24458-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2012
Only for dedicated fans of the series.
When a kid gets the part of the ninja master in the school play, it finally seems to be the right time to tackle the closet monster.
“I spot my monster right away. / He’s practicing his ROAR. / He almost scares me half to death, / but I won’t be scared anymore!” The monster is a large, fluffy poison-green beast with blue hands and feet and face and a fluffy blue-and-green–striped tail. The kid employs a “bag of tricks” to try to catch the monster: in it are a giant wind-up shark, two cans of silly string, and an elaborate cage-and-robot trap. This last works, but with an unexpected result: the monster looks sad. Turns out he was only scaring the boy to wake him up so they could be friends. The monster greets the boy in the usual monster way: he “rips a massive FART!!” that smells like strawberries and lime, and then they go to the monster’s house to meet his parents and play. The final two spreads show the duo getting ready for bed, which is a rather anticlimactic end to what has otherwise been a rambunctious tale. Elkerton’s bright illustrations have a TV-cartoon aesthetic, and his playful beast is never scary. The narrator is depicted with black eyes and hair and pale skin. Wallace’s limping verses are uninspired at best, and the scansion and meter are frequently off.
Only for dedicated fans of the series. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4926-4894-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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