Sam Sunday, bear detective, is miserable because no one remembered his birthday. Then he gets a call, asking him to come to a decrepit inn, the Ocean Beach Hotel. When he arrives, the duck who runs the place (and a dame in distress if ever there was one) informs Sam that things have been mysteriously disappearing. One by one, Sam tracks down the suspicious-looking guests and assembles them in the parlor. But now the duck has disappeared, and when he returns to the parlor, ``Good night, Louise! It was empty! The suspects had vanished like soap bubbles.'' Smelling a flimflam, Sam steps into an unlit ballroom. The lights go on, his friends throw down their disguises, and ``SURPRISE!'' This Dashiell Hammett parody is on the money, and the genre-bending ending adds an entertaining twist. The illustrations, in graphite, oils, and oil pastels, feature a memorable cast of characters: The world-weary goat, the self-conscious mole, and the bear, whose trench coat hangs exactly like Bogey's, are rendered with a truly refined sense of humor. Supraner and Hillenbrand employ mockery and mimicry on a grand scale, creating a minor hard-boiled masterpiece. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-670-84797-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1996
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
This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom.
Holy bedtime, Batman!
In a sleepy-looking neighborhood under a dusky cerulean sky, a young, brown-haired, white boy goes through the motions of getting ready for bed: he brushes his teeth, takes a bath, picks up his toys, and feeds his fish. In a parallel visual narrative, beckoned by the cat's-eye–yellow bat-signal, Batman keeps Gotham safe for another night by catching crooks, locking them away, and avenging those who have been wronged. Though the two characters are quite different, through a carefully flexible narrative, Dahl and Beavers weave a convincing tale of just how similar they might be. “It’s time to take care of business” describes the child’s trip to the potty and Batman’s dive down a manhole equally well, for instance. Beavers' art is visually striking and vibrantly hued, perfect for keeping young eyes glued to each page. Dahl's economical text is cadenced with a gentle lilt, just right for a bedtime read-aloud. Young fans of the caped crusader will delight in spying their favorite characters. In the already-overstuffed bedtime-book market, this is certainly a niche read, but it hits its mark well, delivering fun without darkness. A “bedtime checklist” at the end aptly includes “story time.”
This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62370-732-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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