There are multiple reasons to return to the beginning, not the least of which is the impulse to figure out how to mimic such...
How a skunk came to have a magenta balloon tied to its foot is a mystery, but there it is, bobbing upside down through town on a wordless journey.
At first just the balloon and string are visible—on the endpapers and title page, then floating among an assortment of helium counterparts carried by costumed parade participants. The black-and-white creature moves on, rising and falling through differently sized and shaped sequential panels. It passes ethnically diverse individuals seen through windows in an apartment complex; the sight of it causes a woman below to be “watered” by the surprised flowerbox gardener above. Some characters attempt assistance: a crane worker offers a sandwich, an elephant extends its trunk. Each action causes a reaction, displaying Lam’s facility in arranging cut paper to show motion. Her colorful collages present a pleasing balance of white space, interesting patterns, bright solids, and stylized shapes. (Well-read viewers will find subtle references to Eric Carle.) She orchestrates suspense and comedy, as in the hilarious view of her protagonist’s puffy cheeks during an underwater scene. When the skunk finally frees itself, its rueful expression speaks volumes; ultimately, the creature masterminds a plan and resumes life aloft.
There are multiple reasons to return to the beginning, not the least of which is the impulse to figure out how to mimic such clever compositions. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 15, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-77147-131-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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