One bear’s quest for a quiet place to hibernate is thwarted by lots of noisy critters.
Armed with his tiny blue-and-white polka-dot blanket and a pillow, Grizzle Grump, though undoubtedly large and possessing claws and teeth, doesn’t exactly match the menace of the opening spreads. Granted, his “polite YAWN” does snap trees and send small animals flying, but he’s just looking for a place to rest his head. Young readers have a chance to get in on Grizzle Grump’s action, as, much like a dog lying down for a nap, he has a routine for settling in that involves lots of scratching, teetering, wobbling, and flopping, and the woodpeckers, beavers, and frogs give him plenty of reason to find new spots to sleep. And when he finally gets his message across to the other woodland animals and falls deeply asleep, his noises drive them away. Blecha’s Photoshop illustrations will remind more than one reader of Melanie Watts’ Scaredy Squirrel series; his characters have pop eyes and exaggerated facial expressions and body language. Strangely, a gray squirrel follows Grizzle Grump around, sometimes seeming a friend, other times appearing afraid of the big bear.
This is a good choice for read-alouds and great fun, especially for those readers who can appreciate a good nap. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-229746-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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Hee haw.
32
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The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
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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. 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
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