Seibert (Discovering El Niño, not reviewed, etc.) narrows the definition of “time capsule” to include only sealed containers with a specific opening date. Then (evidently feeling that that didn’t leave enough material for an entire book) proceeds to pad the discussion with examples that don’t qualify: the pyramids, the Rosetta Stone, the tomb of Ch’in Shih Huang Ti, the engraved plates placed aboard the Voyager space probes, the thousands of hollow building cornerstones. But she spares only a few glances at the revealing, sometimes quirky artifacts placed into the “true” time capsules that she does mention, such as the Centennial Safe, closed in 1876 and opened in 1976, the Westinghouse Capsule buried at the 1939 World’s Fair, and the granddaddy of them all: Oglethorpe University’s Crypt of Civilization. The drab black-and-white photos don’t help, and for readers eager to create time capsules of their own she provides such “instructions” as “you will need to research which kinds of containers can preserve items in the best way.” The annotated Web sites at the end are a plus, but not a big enough one to rescue this uninspired effort. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7613-0423-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Millbrook
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
Miranda’s book counts the monsters gathering at a birthday party, while a simple rhyming text keeps the tally and surveys the action: “Seven starved monsters are licking the dishes./Eight blow out candles and make birthday wishes.” The counting proceeds to ten, then by tens to fifty, then gradually returns to one, which makes the monster’s mother, a purple pin-headed octopus, very happy. The book is surprisingly effective due to Powell’s artwork; the color has texture and density, as if it were poured onto the page, but the real attention-getter is the singularity of every monster attendee. They are highly individual and, therefore, eminently countable. As the numbers start crawling upward, it is both fun and a challenge to try to recognize monsters who have appeared in previous pages, or to attempt to stay focused when counting the swirling or bunched creatures. The story has glints of humor, and in combination with the illustrations is a grand addition to the counting shelf. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201835-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
The Pumpkin Book (32 pp.; $16.95; Sept. 15; 0-8234-1465-5): From seed to vine and blossom to table, Gibbons traces the growth cycle of everyone’s favorite autumn symbol—the pumpkin. Meticulous drawings detail the transformation of tiny seeds to the colorful gourds that appear at roadside stands and stores in the fall. Directions for planting a pumpkin patch, carving a jack-o’-lantern, and drying the seeds give young gardeners the instructions they need to grow and enjoy their own golden globes. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 1999
ISBN: 0-8234-1465-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
© Copyright 2025 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.
