A young girl weaves an enchanted tale to soothe her younger brother to sleep. Lucy is a consummate storyteller, regaling those around her with her fantastical tales. She saves her best stories for the twilight hours, sharing special ones with her favorite bear until slumber overtakes them. In contrast, her younger brother Jamie despises the evening hours, fearfully spotting unnamed frights in the darkened corners of the room. Lucy decides to help her sibling lose his fear of shadows and bedtime by taking him on a mystical journey in search of the “Dreamtime Fairies.” Into the wilds of their imaginations the pair goes. Along the way, they attempt sleeping on beach like turtles and snoozing in the trees like tigers, but without success. Ultimately, Jamie braves the deep abyss of the forest shadows to discover the elusive sprites. Having conquered his fears, Jamie soon falls into a restful slumber, along with Lucy and the other adventurers. Simmons’s (Ebb and Flo and the Baby Seal, p. 109, etc.) fey approach to dispelling youngsters fears of the dark is beguiling; little ones will be so busy searching dusky shadows for the glittering fairies that they will soon forget their anxieties. The lush, full-bleed illustrations lend an otherworldly feel to the tale. Simmons use of unique perspectives, deep, jewel-toned hues, and exotically detailed forest scenes work to convey the ethereal quality of her story. Just like a sprinkling of fairy dust, this magical adventure will sweep little ones off to slumber. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-316-79523-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2002
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A young boy wonders aloud to a rabbit friend what he will be when he grows up and imagines some outrageous choices. “Puddle stomper,” “bubble gum popper,” “mixing-bowl licker,” “baby-sis soother” are just some of the 24 inspiringly creative vocations Spinelli’s young dreamer envisions in this pithy rhymed account. Aided by Liao’s cleverly integrated full-bleed mixed-media illustrations, which radiate every hue of the rainbow, and dynamic typesetting with words that swoop and dive, the author’s perspective on this adult-inspired question yields some refreshingly child-oriented answers. Given such an irresistible array of options—“So many jobs! / They’re all such fun”—the boy in the end decides, in an exuberant double gatefold, “I’m going to choose… / EVERY ONE!”—a conclusion befitting a generation expected to have more than six careers each. Without parents or peers around to corral this carefree child’s dreams, the possibilities of being whatever one wants appear both limitless and attainable. An inspired take on a timeless question. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-316-16226-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2010
© 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
