Sometimes we don’t know the value of what we have until we risk losing it.
Realism and magic combine in this brisk story of sibling struggle.
Sophia works actual magic, filling the water pitcher with frogs and turning her mother’s plants blue. But when her little brother commits the serious crime of tearing pages out of her spellbook, she can’t be soothed by her mother, who (while repairing the book) sensibly reminds her that Hugo is just too young to be responsible. Instead, Sophia grabs her wand and turns him into a full-size donkey (wearing Hugo’s glasses). The donkey promptly does more damage to Sophia’s things than Hugo (wearing diapers, at least) ever has. Before she can undo the spell, the donkey bites her wand in half. When the fire department arrives to take the animal away, Sophia recalls every one of Hugo’s good points, including his kisses and snuggles. And she’s able to use her taped-together wand to bring Hugo back! A few days later, Hugo’s first word turns out to be “abwacadabwa”—unexpectedly transforming their grandmother into an elephant (sporting Granny’s pink specs and beads). Graux’s cartoonishly distorted faces might distance the characters (Sophia appears to have mumps, as well as jug ears and bug eyes), but the pictures are lively, the glasses connections are clever, and the subdued but varied colors add realism. Sophia and her family are pictured with dark hair and medium-toned skin; Sophia has a diverse group of school friends.
Sometimes we don’t know the value of what we have until we risk losing it. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2023
ISBN: 9788419253699
Page Count: 40
Publisher: NubeOcho
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.
A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-30311-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre.
Ice princess Lina must navigate family and school in this early chapter read.
The family picnic is today. This is not a typical gathering, since Lina’s maternal relatives are a royal family of Windtamers who have power over the weather and live in castles floating on clouds. Lina herself is mixed race, with black hair and a tan complexion like her Asian-presenting mother’s; her Groundling father appears to be a white human. While making a grand entrance at the castle of her grandfather, the North Wind, she fails to successfully ride a gust of wind and crashes in front of her entire family. This prompts her stern grandfather to ask that Lina move in with him so he can teach her to control her powers. Desperate to avoid this, Lina and her friend Claudia, who is black, get Lina accepted at the Hilltop Science and Arts Academy. Lina’s parents allow her to go as long as she does lessons with grandpa on Saturdays. However, fitting in at a Groundling school is rough, especially when your powers start freak winter storms! With the story unfurling in diary format, bright-pink–highlighted grayscale illustrations help move the plot along. There are slight gaps in the storytelling and the pacing is occasionally uneven, but Lina is full of spunk and promotes self-acceptance.
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre. (Fantasy. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-35393-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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