Well-intentioned but inconsistent, the story starts off strong but loses steam.
On an island “far to the north,” protagonist Tomo does not like to eat fish, nor does he plan to become a fisherman like the other men and boys of the village.
Black-haired Tomo loves to invent and build things. The only person who appreciates his inventions is his best friend and budding naturalist, Maya. One day while Grandfather naps, Tomo spies his great-grandfather’s fishing rod. Tomo knows he should leave it alone: “It’s legendary, it’s something no one ever touches––and it’s just what he needs” to make a mast for a boat. He grabs for it, misses, and accidentally knocks down his great-grandfather’s “Adventure Journal,” hidden behind a picture. It’s full of diagrams of inventions, and Tomo keeps it, using it to build a canoe that he and Maya paddle off in on an adventure. The digital illustrations are cheery but ambiguous: they give no clear sense of time or location. Village houses appear to be modern, as does the clothing both children and Grandfather wear, but many other characters wear clothing suggestive of a generic Pacific Northwest Indian theme, giving them a stereotyped feel. Further, the children are dressed in summer clothes even while on the open sea, whereas Grandfather is dressed for a colder climate, and other adults appear both bundled up and not, making the book’s chronology unclear.
Well-intentioned but inconsistent, the story starts off strong but loses steam. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-250-08545-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Imprint
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)
The town of Sunnyview got a little bit safer when 8-year-old Eugene McGillicudy moved in.
Just like his comic-book mentor, Super Dude, Eugene, aka Captain Awesome, is on a one-man mission is to save the world from supervillains, like the nefarious “Queen Stinkypants from Planet Baby.” Just as Eugene suspected, plenty of new supervillains await him at Sunnyview Elementary. Are Meredith Mooney and the mind-reading Ms. Beasley secretly working together to try and force Eugene to reveal his secret identity? Will Principal Brick Foot succeed in throwing Captain Awesome into the “Dungeon of Detention?” Fortunately, Eugene isn’t forced to go it alone. Charlie Thomas Jones, fellow comic-book lover and Super Dude fan, stands ready and willing to help. When the class hamster goes missing, Captain Awesome must don his cape and, with the help of his new best friend, ride to the rescue. Kirby’s funny and engaging third-person narration and O’Connor’s hilarious illustrations make the book easily accessible and enormously appealing, particularly to readers who have recently graduated to chapter books. But it is the quirky, mischievous Eugene that really makes this book special. His energy and humor are contagious, and his dogged commitment to his superhero alter ego is enough to make anyone a believer.
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4090-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
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