Brimming with the dramas of everyday life and placed in a setting of swirling curves and diagonal lines, this is a book that...
This Polish import will undoubtedly be compared to Candlewick’s search-and-find Waldo series, but the Mizielinskis have created a unique world that children will enter on its own merits.
Twenty-four animals and one alien are introduced on the opening pages, along with related elements to discover and the overall admonition to “Use your eyes and follow the adventures of each of these characters in every scene.” A family of five rabbits is on its way to the climactic carnival, but a delay ensues when the youngest goes missing. Readers glimpse only the sock and shoe of “shady” Clyde Snatchit until the last scene, when his theft (and identity) is revealed. This is a bustling, but not overwhelming, cluster of wordless scenes. From the golden morning in the neighborhood to the blue light of the evening fair, each spread has a different background palette, allowing a new array of the digital characters to stand out slightly with each turn. Whether on a piazza or at the waterfront, the diverse creatures behave in ways that children will find interesting; they encounter problems, help each other find solutions and exhibit a range of emotions.
Brimming with the dramas of everyday life and placed in a setting of swirling curves and diagonal lines, this is a book that children will pick up frequently, following the directions and enjoying the detours. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6891-4
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Big Picture/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 17, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Here is Poppleton at his brief, mellow, sentimental best, mooning over the pleasure of friends in the coziest of settings. Accompanied by artwork that presents Poppleton as a lovable porker with a hint of the rascal in his body language, Rylant’s (The High-Rise Private Eyes, p. 964, etc.) first story finds Poppleton going solo to the movies. At first this seems a nifty idea—no having to share the eats—but fast becomes an exercise in loneliness, as Poppleton has no one to share the laughs and shivers and tears with. It is always better to have a friend to join in the fun, he concludes. Next, Poppleton and three pals have a quilting bee, during which they entertain each other with stories about their respective pasts, and images from the stories get sewn into the quilt, as if by osmosis. Afterward, they take turns using the quilt: “Poppleton got it in summer. Fillmore got it in fall. Cherry Sue got it in winter. And Hudson got it in spring. Every season of the year, someone was sleeping under stories.” Lastly, Poppleton runs out of bath emollients—nothing he liked better than a soak with lavender, lemon, and silky milk—so he visits Cherry Sue to see if he can borrow some. She only takes showers, but offers him some sweet smells from the kitchen: Blueberries? Vanilla? Cinnamon? No, says Poppleton, but lets go get something to eat. “Poppleton missed his soak that day. But it was okay. He was very happy smelling like a banana split.” Poppleton is a darling, especially so in these stories, which can be favorably paired with tales in which he is a bit more of a rogue element. (Easy reader. 5-7)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-590-84839-9
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
Jack is having a bad Monday morning in this MathStart (Level two) title, which painlessly slides probability into the story. Jack’s late for school; his dad is fixing lunch, which means he may get something he doesn’t like; and he gets milk all over his math homework. Finding out lunch is tuna fish (which he hates), Jack dreams of trading with Emma, a girl in his class who had pastrami four days last week (Jack’s favorite). He trades sandwiches with Emma without asking, and gets liverwurst, something even worse than tuna. Then he is off to after-school soccer, where he tries to decide where to stand in line so that he and his friend will be on the same team. Jack figures, based on past sessions, the coach will probably have them count off by twos, but again he is fooled as the coach has them count off by threes. Other probability opportunities include which snack hew will get, what’s for dinner, and what’s for dessert. The day ends pleasantly as Jack’s mother brings his favorite pistachio ice cream. The author includes an afterword with questions for adults and kids to reinforce the concept of probability. He also suggests games and activities to extend the concept. Colorful pencil and watercolor illustrations show an appealing group of interracial young children, parents, and teachers. Children will enjoy the story whether or not it helps their understanding of probability. The popular author of other MathStart titles (Missing Mittens, see above, etc.) will find a ready audience for this effort. (Nonfiction. 6-8)
Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2001
ISBN: 0-06-028028-X
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2000
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