It’s carnival time in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and two tree frog siblings celebrate in their second outing. In each of three chapters, big brother Rafi indulges an interest while pulling a fast one over on Rosi. In the first, Rafi gains more time to create his carnival mask by encouraging Rosi to make a costume—since she’s sure to win the contest for carnival queen. Inspired, Rosi gets to it, and before Rafi realizes, she’s arrayed and off to the judge, only to find out that she’s underage. She’s crushed and Rafi, remorseful, decorates his old wagon as a carnival float. Now Rosi can be “queen for a day” in her very own parade. Delacre affectionately depicts the brief conflicts and abiding love between this busy duo, adding appealing watercolor illustrations. While Rafi is older and savvier, the verve with which Rosi approaches the panoply of childish emotions will jibe with kids fresh from such mastery themselves. Most Spanish words are seamlessly integrated, but the glossary’s specific cultural information will require an adult’s intercession, as will the appended activities. An appealing sequel. (Easy reader. 6-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-06-073597-X
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Rayo/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2006
The wriggly narrator of Diary of a Worm (2003) puts in occasional appearances, but it’s his arachnid buddy who takes center stage here, with terse, tongue-in-cheek comments on his likes (his close friend Fly, Charlotte’s Web), his dislikes (vacuums, people with big feet), nervous encounters with a huge Daddy Longlegs, his extended family—which includes a Grandpa more than willing to share hard-won wisdom (The secret to a long, happy life: “Never fall asleep in a shoe.”)—and mishaps both at spider school and on the human playground. Bliss endows his garden-dwellers with faces and the odd hat or other accessory, and creates cozy webs or burrows colorfully decorated with corks, scraps, plastic toys and other human detritus. Spider closes with the notion that we could all get along, “just like me and Fly,” if we but got to know one another. Once again, brilliantly hilarious. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-000153-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2005
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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