MY FIRST GHOST

Name: MY FIRST GHOST
Author: Maggie Miller
ISBN: 978-1-4231-1949-4

by Maggie Miller ; Michael Leviton illustrated by Stephanie Buscema ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 7, 2012

This is a solid choice for sensitive readers, since it provides an alternate, if somewhat sweet story, where ghosts are...

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Ever wanted a ghost? Answer in the affirmative, and this fictional handbook should offer all the expert advice needed to make sure “your ghost will haunt you forever.”

The opening page warns: “A ghost is a big responsibility. Are you sure you want a ghost friend of your very own? If not, CLOSE THIS BOOK NOW.” For those brave, committed few, the page turn reveals a wash of white issuing forth from a child’s book to create a friendly, smiling ghost. The text continues to read like a combination sales pitch and owner’s manual. Ghosts are better than a pet or a brother or sister. Ghosts are afraid of parents, the dark and other ghosts. Ghosts never get dirty, so do not try to wash them. As the instructions continue, Buscema’s brightly hued, retro-style illustrations inject lighthearted humor, portraying a diverse cast of kids dedicated to providing the best care to their new specters. Who knew that when a person shivers and it is not cold, it means they have bumped into a ghost?

This is a solid choice for sensitive readers, since it provides an alternate, if somewhat sweet story, where ghosts are anything but scary. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4231-1949-4

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Review Posted Online: July 17, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

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YOUR BABY'S FIRST WORD WILL BE DADA

by Jimmy Fallon ; illustrated by Miguel Ordóñez ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 9, 2015

Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it.

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A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say “Dada” in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.

A grumpy bull says, “DADA!”; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, “DADA!”; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of “Dada” or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, “Now everybody get in line, let’s say it together one more time….” Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, “DADA!” (except the duckling, who says, “quack”). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of “DADA” appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals’ mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.

Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: June 9, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-250-00934-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
CON POLLO
by Jimmy Fallon & Jennifer Lopez ; illustrated by Andrea Campos

- SEEN & HEARD
Jimmy Fallon Christmas Book Coming This Fall

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DIGGERSAURS

by Michael Whaite ; illustrated by Michael Whaite ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 2, 2019

Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their...

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Less ambitious than Chris Gall’s widely known Dinotrux (2009) and sequels, this British import systematically relegates each dinosaur/construction-equipment hybrid to its most logical job.

The title figures are introduced as bigger than both diggers and dinosaurs, and rhyming text and two construction-helmeted kids show just what these creatures are capable of. Each diggersaur has a specific job to do and a distinct sound effect. The dozersaurus moves rocks with a “SCRAAAAPE!!!” while the rollersaurus flattens lumps with a cheery “TOOT TOOT!!” Each diggersaur is numbered, with 12 in all, allowing this to be a counting book on the sly. As the diggersaurs (not all of which dig) perform jobs that regular construction equipment can do, albeit on a larger scale, there is no particular reason why any of them should have dinosaurlike looks other than just ’cause. Peppy computer art tries valiantly to attract attention away from the singularly unoriginal text. “Diggersaurs dig with bites so BIG, / each SCOOP creates a crater. // They’re TOUGH and STRONG / with necks so long— / they’re super EXCAVATORS!” Far more interesting are the two human characters, a white girl and a black boy, that flit about the pictures offering commentary and action. Much of the fun of the book can be found in trying to spot them on every two-page spread.

Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their dino/construction kicks. (Picture book. 3-6)