A luminous, heartwarming story of one kitten’s transformative journey.
Barely surviving in the city, an abandoned kitten finds the perfect home.
After his mother and siblings disappear, a kitten scavenges food and eludes the ubiquitous threats of the urban streets. Removed from his life of danger to a place of safety (the pound), the kitten discovers “boredom was better than misery.” But boredom is relieved when the kitten is soon swept away amid “voices and laughter” into “sunshine and blue sky.” Relocated to a place with a house, a yard, and a white family that names him Swan, the kitten gradually realizes this is now his house, his yard, and his family and quickly adjusts to a routine of napping, hunting, grooming, eating, and playing. While the unadorned text relies on language reflecting Swan’s sensory and emotional responses, Hobbie’s realistic pencil-and-watercolor illustrations provide visual details of his transition from the dingy grays, blacks, and browns of dirty city alleys to the glorious full-color countryside. City scenes reveal a scraggly, fearful Swan crouching amid trash cans and cowering in the rain. In contrast, post-adoption illustrations show a playful Swan from various perspectives, aloft in a tree, perched atop a stone wall, watching butterflies with wide-eyed wonder, and curled next to a sleeping girl, reinforcing the perfection of his new life.
A luminous, heartwarming story of one kitten’s transformative journey. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-553-53744-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2016
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones.
What’s better than a cheerleading chicken?
Are you ever blue, unsure, tired, or overworked? Do you ever feel lost or overwhelmed? This uplifting book, expressed in delightful, jaunty verse, explains how to lift your spirits pronto: What you need is a booster chicken telling you’re doing great even when you’re not so confident, as when you’re learning or practicing a new skill, for instance. Your feathered champion will be right there, encouraging you all the way, with a loud “WOO HOO!” that’ll keep you going and remove any doubt you’re super terrific. But what if your cheerful chick errs and doesn’t do what it set out to do? Don’t worry—your cheery chicken just needs a reminder that everyone makes mistakes. That alone is a pep talk, enhanced by the wisdom that making mistakes allows everyone to learn and demonstrate they did their best. So forgive yourself, chickens! But the best thing is…instead of relying on someone else—like a chicken—to strengthen your ego, say a generous daily “WOO HOO!” to yourself. This riotous book hits all the right notes and does so succinctly and hilariously. The energetic, comical illustrations, in Boynton’s signature style, will elicit giggles and go far to make the book’s important point. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
WOO-HOO! This is the perfect way to foster healthy self-esteem in little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-316-48679-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
