Those who love dogs, relish humor, and understand not fitting in will adore McNamee’s (Hate You, 1999) novel about fourth graders Keath (a.k.a. Whitey, etc.), his best friend Lynda (a.k.a. Zebra), and Lynda’s maimed beagle, Leftovers (a.k.a. Predator). Attending a nearly all-black school downtown makes Keath prey to bullies like sharp-jointed Toothpick. If he looked like everybody else, Keath wouldn’t be their main target, but as it is, a friend tells him, “You the worm, man.” The bullies also hassle Lynda, daughter of a black, veterinarian mom and white, dog-walker dad. Keath, who can’t resist or own dogs, meets Lynda as she carries “a shopping bag full of dog turds” behind her dad’s canine cluster. Adults in this hugely readable book’s cast of beautifully realized characters adroitly help Keath manage being a “freak.” Mom’s loving support, Dad’s sensitive advice, and Gran’s determined, post-stroke, one-handed efforts to create an origami frog that hops only to produce one that does “nothing but back flips” allow Keath to get over being creeped out by differences. When Leftovers wins a silver medal in a special dog show, Keath thinks it possible to “be like Leftovers and fit in in my own way”—but he still wants to be a golden retriever when he grows up. Viva la difference! is the inchoate, incalculably valuable message, sent via consummate craft, upbeat tone, and in-your-face humor in this deft, deep book. (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-385-32755-2
Page Count: 134
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2000
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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