After the little dog Kashtanka is separated from her master, who spends the day wandering from customer to tavern to relative, she is taken in by a man who feeds her better than her master ever did and begins to train her: he's a clown whose act already includes a boar, a cat, and a goose. When the goose suddenly dies, Kashtanka is pressed into service—and is recognized and reclaimed by her original master and his son, who happen to be in the audience. The rather long, quiet story has been ``translated for young readers'' (does this mean adapted? We couldn't find the original, but the style seems less rich and colorful than in Chekhov's other stories); it is illustrated with Moser's usual gallery of skillfully wrought paintings, including several incisive portraits (the half-madeup clown could be Olivier), appealing glimpses of the dog, and some memorable compositions. Not essential, but good bookmaking. (Fiction/Picture book. 6-10)
Pub Date: Nov. 7, 1991
ISBN: 0-399-21905-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
At ``Step 2'' in the useful ``Step into Reading'' series: an admirably clear, well-balanced presentation that centers on wolves' habits and pack structure. Milton also addresses their endangered status, as well as their place in fantasy, folklore, and the popular imagination. Attractive realistic watercolors on almost every page. Top-notch: concise, but remarkably extensive in its coverage. A real bargain. (Nonfiction/Easy reader. 6-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-679-91052-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
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