“Presto!” intones Will whenever he witnesses the “magic” of his family’s mailbox: letters appear and disappear when no one is looking. Sadly, the magic falls flat for Will—he never gets mail. Encouraged by his mother’s example, Will mails a missive to himself and receives it two days later. The experience proves underwhelming because, after all, the letter yields no surprises. Shortly thereafter, however, Will spies, on a box of his favorite cereal, a picture of a boy and girl mailing letters. Reading further, he discovers this is an advertising promotion: each child is sending away labels from three of these boxes in order to receive personalized cereal bowls in the mail. Eating lots more Magic Charms than usual and plying everyone he knows with it, Will soon empties the required three boxes, snips off the labels, and mails them away. The abracadabra is long in coming, but finally the bowl, emblazoned “Will the Great” arrives. Is Will going to fill it with cereal? Of course not. Now emboldened by his magic powers, Will declares that he's going to fill it with oats—for the horse he’s planning to send away for from yet another cereal company! Poydar’s (First Day, Hooray!, 1999, etc.) writing is not particularly felicitous here, but she does capture the allure of getting a letter. Collage bits of magazines, catalogues, and postcards add a little panache to the scenes of endlessly open-mouthed, round-eyed characters. The text does include some clearly laid-out information about how mail is handled and also some helpful pointers for children on how to address envelopes correctly. Good for introducing the concept of getting mail. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2000
ISBN: 0-8234-1525-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2000
Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long (The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. After the big new yellow tractor, crowds of overalls-clad locals and a red fire engine all fail to pull her out, the little tractor (who had been left behind the barn to rust after the arrival of the new tractor) comes putt-puff-puttedy-chuff-ing down the hill to entice his terrified bovine buddy successfully back to dry ground. Short on internal logic but long on creamy scenes of calf and tractor either gamboling energetically with a gaggle of McCloskey-like geese through neutral-toned fields or resting peacefully in the shade of a gnarled tree (apple, not cork), the episode will certainly draw nostalgic adults. Considering the author’s track record and influences, it may find a welcome from younger audiences too. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-399-25248-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
SEEN & HEARD
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
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