Readers will appreciate seeing the good things that come to those who wait, watch, and water.
What could be a better gift for a wee mouse than a mysterious gift that promises both something delicious to eat and branches to climb and play on?
It's Luke's birthday—Luke being a little mouse standing on a soft, grassy hill, waving at his friends as they arrive at his party. Then his bespectacled grandfather gives him a gift: a small orange bag, full, disappointingly, of “just seeds.” But his grandfather promises that if Luke takes care of them, the gift will provide a tasty treat and a botanical jungle gym. They plant the seeds, but like every small child (or mouse), Luke is disappointed when he doesn't see speedy results. Grandfather counsels patience. Finally, up grows a small, strong shoot, and Luke sits over it, enchanted, as if a new friend has magically appeared. The story quickens; Luke forgets to water the plant, and it nearly dies; when, one day, Luke is sick in bed, his curious friends happily fill in for him. The soft pastel watercolors beautifully capture the world from a mouse’s-eye view, and the mice are irresistible, with their big ears, little hands and feet, and eyes that shine like tiny marbles. Towering, fluffy white dandelions stand like watchful and eager spectators.
Readers will appreciate seeing the good things that come to those who wait, watch, and water. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-988-8240-94-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: minedition
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...
A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.
A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-070-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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