Sure to resonate with anyone who’s felt like the odd one out.
This first of a new series, translated from Swedish, follows the trials and tribulations of a black sheep in a family of thieves.
Meet the Pinchers: parents Rob and Nic (get it?), little Criminellen (Ellen for short), Grandma Stola, and dog Sherlock. Ellen and Sherlock’s thievery is food motivated; Nic and Stola go for what glitters; Rob targets safes. The family oddity is young Theo. Not only does he eschew theft, but he secretly aspires to be a police officer like Paul Eessman, the kindly, well-intentioned, but gullible cop who lives next door, the family’s foil. The Pincher clan keeps in practice by swiping Theo’s socks each day and by diligently lying (with fingers crossed behind their backs). To his parents’ dismay, Theo can’t help but tell the truth. The Pinchers’ thievery quickly escalates from lifting Paul’s morning newspaper to breaking out of jail, drugging guards, and attempting to steal a famed diamond—to Theo’s dismay. Luckily, the boy finds a way to put things right…and earn his family’s admiration. Droll line drawings dominated by shades of blue and gray enhance the farcical fun; the Pinchers are conveniently decked out in horizontal stripes, and everyone, even the dog (who resembles a pit bull), wears eye masks. Most characters are light-skinned. There are a few easter eggs for adult readers, who will recognize that Ellen’s favorite bedtime story is Crime and Punishment.
Sure to resonate with anyone who’s felt like the odd one out. (Chapter book. 6-10)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781776575664
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D.
Breakout kid barber J.D. embraces a summer of opportunity.
Readers met J.D. Jones just as he took his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, by storm, winning himself community acclaim and a chair at the revered Hart and Sons barbershop in series opener J.D. and the Great Barber Battle(2021). What’s next for the haircut prodigy? School’s just getting out, and there’s so much life happening outside—if only one can escape home learning with the grandparents. J.D.’s sister, Vanessa, brings along multitalented mutual friend Jessyka to share an ambitious challenge: “Let’s start a YouTube channel!” Can they get millions of views and wow the whole world? They are already amazing at haircuts and hairstyles—all they need is to learn how to make a great YouTube video. The story models strategies for scripting short videos reflecting the templates of viral YouTube hair tutorials, inviting readers to not only see the journey of the characters, but maybe also practice these skills at home. This book is bound to educate all about some of the most storied and cherished traditions within the Black community. Bringing in Vanessa is a great touch to extend the series across gender, and hopefully she’ll get a chance to lead her own adventures. This book blends skill-building, entrepreneurship, and strong family values to give young Black children visions of what’s possible when they follow their passions and embrace their community.
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11155-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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