Unfortunate images compromise this ninja mission. Look to Sanae Ishida’s Chibi Samurai series for cultural accuracy and...
Aspiring ninjas attend camp, where they hone their skills and guard the coveted Shadow Blade.
A multicultural group of kids and their teacher arrive in a bamboo forest littered with tents, “Ninja Camp is finally here!” Evenly paced rhymes narrate as the students practice throwing ninja stars and work on strength training. Their teacher challenges them: “Are you fierce and unafraid? / Will you guard the Shadow Blade?” The real test comes when a rival camp steals the blade, calling for a battle showdown. The simple plot reads well aloud. Bright, digitally rendered characters against the colorful natural landscapes will keep readers’ eyes engaged. There are visual missteps, however. Liberal artistic license is taken in the styling of the ninja clothing, eschewing classical Japanese attire despite ninjitsu’s cultural origins. During training, the student with the darkest skin tone is shown last in line, while their white classmate leads. On the same page, another white student overtakes a distressed student of color during a run. The final honor of the Shadow Blade is bestowed on the white student who acts as focal character; this child perches on a rock while a student of color looks up in admiration. The culmination of these portrayals makes for a regrettable message.
Unfortunate images compromise this ninja mission. Look to Sanae Ishida’s Chibi Samurai series for cultural accuracy and quirky ninja fun. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-7624-6331-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Sure to assuage the fears of all astronauts bound for similar missions.
A genius way to ease kids into the new adventure that is kindergarten.
In an imaginative ruse that’s maintained through the whole book, a young astronaut prepares for his mission to Planet Kindergarten. On liftoff day (a space shuttle–themed calendar counts down the days; a stopwatch, the minutes), the small family boards their rocket ship (depicted in the illustrations as the family car), and “the boosters fire.” They orbit base camp while looking for a docking place. “I am assigned to my commander, capsule, and crewmates.” Though he’s afraid, he stands tall and is brave (not just once, either—the escape hatch beckons, but NASA’s saying gets him through: “FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION”). Parents will certainly chuckle along with this one, but kindergarten teachers’ stomach muscles will ache: “[G]ravity works differently here. We have to try hard to stay in our seats. And our hands go up a lot.” Prigmore’s digital illustrations are the perfect complement to the tongue-in-cheek text. Bold colors, sharp lines and a retro-space style play up the theme. The intrepid explorer’s crewmates are a motley assortment of “aliens”—among them are a kid in a hoodie with the laces pulled so tight that only a nose and mouth are visible; a plump kid with a bluish cast to his skin; and a pinkish girl with a toothpick-thin neck and huge bug eyes.
Sure to assuage the fears of all astronauts bound for similar missions. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4521-1893-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
© Copyright 2025 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.
