With its brief, straightforward narrative, Colman’s informative book seems to be intended for children, though readers of...
This second children’s book by Colman (The Bald Eagle’s View of American History, 2006) tells the story of the overfishing of cod off Newfoundland's coast.
Colman’s tale begins with the northern land’s first settlers, the Beothucks, who arrived nearly 2,000 years ago to a bounty of giant fish swimming off the coast. Colman traces the groups of European explorers and fishermen who followed and, in an air of lawlessness and with a lust for cod, developed various advanced fishing techniques. This led to Queen Elizabeth’s claiming of Newfoundland and encouraging of year-round settlement of the territory. As the animals were fished at younger and younger ages, growing smaller and smaller, laws requiring specific kind of nets were put into effect. Around the turn of the 20th century, the first hatcheries appeared to aid in repopulation of the diminishing species. Colorful stamps—the author has collected stamps since age 5—head each section of the book, depicting scenes, symbols and characters from Newfoundland’s history. The rapid and devastating effects of human settlement and consumption take a turn for the better near the end, as we learn that in more recent decades, scientists and the government have taken the helm in the cause of cod. Though the fish are nowhere near the size they were when the Beothucks first feasted on them, their population has been increasing. For readers who want to know more, Colman provides an extensive review of research at the end of the book, where, through a brief, lively narrative, he provides the names of books that go deeper into aspects of cod history that this book sketches out.
With its brief, straightforward narrative, Colman’s informative book seems to be intended for children, though readers of any level are granted a view of a phenomenon many have likely overlooked.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1453856628
Page Count: 27
Publisher: Fancourt
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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