“What are you going to be when you grow up?” is the question that kicks off this career-minded frolic and what follows is one boy’s epic response. The many answers range from typical “little-kid” choices (cowboy, basketball player, fireman), to the sensible (vet, dentist, plumber), to the more unusual (numerologist, lighthouse keeper, hypnotist). Doodle-like drawings in pencil with shots of muted yellows and reds crawl all over the page and little jokes can be found in every corner, such as a small “batteries not included” sign on the bottom of a jet plane. Turner joyfully caricatures each “job,” exaggerating the child’s point of view. The free-flowing creativity found in both the child’s career choices, and the hilarious illustrations plays out the theme well—that a child will believe he or she can do anything if allowed. The author also includes a “How to be an artist” spread that instructs the reader how to draw one’s hand, which offers a self-empowering (and humorous) touch at the end. Every inch of the book, including the copyright page, is handwritten and illustrated by Turner (Silent Night, 2001), lending a giddy and somewhat ’zine-like feel. The ever-changing text size and style, however, are at times hard to read. Some of the sharp-witted content might fly over the heads of young readers, but as Turner writes in his handwritten bio, he “creates truly innovative books for the child in the adult and the adult in the child.” He also gives suggested ages as 4–88, which says it all. (Picture book. 4+)
Pub Date: April 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-06-000953-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2003
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
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