by Alan Katz ; illustrated by Kris Easler ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2015
Makes one wish for a timeout.
Does a nanny exist who can tame Nathan and David?
Mr. and Mrs. Wohlfardt are at wits’ end. They have hired uncountable nannies, but their twin third-grade terrors are such bickering, lazy slobs that the nannies inevitably leave…sometimes in tears. Enter Martin Healey Discount, a manny with a mustache who claims to be a TABASCO (Teacher and Babysitter and Scholarly Childcare Orchestrator). The Wohlfardts hire him, warning the boys that if Martin leaves because of them, there will be no annual family ski trip. Martin preforms impeccably in front of the parents and regularly tricks the boys into good behavior with his own lazy immaturity. Is Martin actually a spy? Can the boys cover for his bad behavior long enough to ensure the ski trip? Katz’s debut novel—inspired by his own twin sons, Nathan and David—is what one might expect would come from the scribe of several collections of supersilly poetry: it’s episodic, hyperbolic, meandering, and a bit amateurish-feeling. Occasional smiles at a turn of phrase or slapstick moment don’t raise the laughs much above the family’s mildly potty-humor–ous surname. The boys are bratty just to be bratty, and their smirking sniping is more annoying than amusing. Easler’s occasional cartoon illustrations (final art not seen) bid fair to be better than the material they depict.
Makes one wish for a timeout. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61963-558-6
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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by Atinuke ; illustrated by Onyinye Iwu ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2021
An enjoyable, endearing collection.
A young girl learns that she doesn’t have to be big to make a difference.
Tola lives in Lagos, Nigeria, with her siblings—sister Moji and brother Dapo, who call her “Too Small Tola” because she is the smallest—under the care of their grandmother. Each of the three short chapters tells of Tola’s adventures while immersing readers in Lagos daily life. In Tola’s first adventure, Grandmommy chooses Tola to take shopping, causing Tola to panic as she worries she won’t be able to carry their purchases. After collecting everything from Grandmommy’s seemingly never-ending list, they make their way home, taking plenty of breaks that leave Tola’s siblings jealous. For her second adventure, she must collect water from the well near their building and then make it to school on time, but she must conquer a mean, older kid first. Tola’s final adventure occurs during a time of celebrations when Eid falls at the same time as Easter. Readers follow along as Tola takes on the challenge of measuring clients for Mr. Abdul—a tailor who lives in Tola’s building—after he breaks his leg. This collection of stories is perfect for transitioning readers, with its manageable chapters, clear, plain language, simple sentence structures, wry sense of humor, and realistic illustrations of the diverse Nigerian cast. While some elements may be unfamiliar to readers outside Tola’s culture, readers will find anchors in Tola’s relationships.
An enjoyable, endearing collection. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1127-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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by A. LaFaye & illustrated by Keith D. Shepherd ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2011
A deeply felt narrative, distilled from contemporary reports and documents.
A Southern novelist looks to the Civil War’s immediate aftermath in this newly free child’s account of a weary search for his mother.
“War’s over. Government say we free. Folks be on the move. Getting the feel for freedom. Not me.” He joins the large number of ex-slaves who, “all hope and hurry on,” have hit the road in search of brighter futures, but young Gabe has a different goal: tracking down his sold-away and only living parent Rosie Lee. Keeping his goal before him like the fixed North Star, he travels for months from Mobile to the “worn-down toes of the Appalachian Mountains,” following vague leads from sympathetic listeners and offices of the Freedman’s Bureau, enduring hardships and disappointment. Applying paint in thickly brushed impasto, Shepherd views Gabe’s world and encounters from a child’s-eye height but gives the barefoot, raggedly clad boy a look of hard-won maturity that points to past sorrows and underscores the depth of his determination. His distinct voice will draw readers into caring about his quest and sharing the tide of joy that accompanies his ultimate success: “That night, I slept snuggled up tight with my mama, praying for all those boys like me searching for their mamas who be searching for them.”
A deeply felt narrative, distilled from contemporary reports and documents. (afterword) (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-933693-97-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2011
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