by Andreas Steinhöfel & illustrated by Kerstin Meyer & translated by Alisa Jaffa ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2006
When Mr. Moose, Santa’s sled tester, crashes through the roof of the Webster home shortly before Christmas, it guarantees an unusual holiday season. Mr. Moose has a broken ankle and is going to stay with Billy, his sister Kiki and their mother until it has mended. In the meantime, the Websters have their hands full with unusual dinners, meddlesome neighbors, unearthly travels and unexpected visitors. Gradually, the family comes to love Mr. Moose, and when Santa arrives to fetch him, the children’s visiting grandmother postpones the inevitable by serving Santa some alcoholic holiday cheer. Finally, though, it’s time for Mr. Moose to say goodbye. Billy is particularly reluctant to see him go, but with Mr. Moose’s clout, Billy’s Christmas wish for his separated parents to reunite just might come true. The attractive overall design and the appealing nature of the sophisticated cartoon-like illustrations perk up this holiday offering. Unfortunately, the ending is rather saccharine, and asides clearly directed at grownups interrupt the flow of the story. A holiday offering most suited for an adult audience. (Fiction. 7-10, adult)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-932425-80-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Front Street/Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2006
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by Andreas Steinhöfel ; illustrated by Nele Palmtag ; translated by Matthew O. Anderson
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by Andreas Steinhöfel & translated by Alisa Jaffa
by Claudia Mills ; illustrated by Rob Shepperson ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 14, 2016
Another winner from Mills, equally well suited to reading aloud and independent reading.
When Franklin School principal Mr. Boone announces a pet-show fundraiser, white third-grader Cody—whose lack of skill and interest in academics is matched by keen enthusiasm for and knowledge of animals—discovers his time to shine.
As with other books in this series, the children and adults are believable and well-rounded. Even the dialogue is natural—no small feat for a text easily accessible to intermediate readers. Character growth occurs, organically and believably. Students occasionally, humorously, show annoyance with teachers: “He made mad squinty eyes at Mrs. Molina, which fortunately she didn’t see.” Readers will be kept entertained by Cody’s various problems and the eventual solutions. His problems include needing to raise $10 to enter one of his nine pets in the show (he really wants to enter all of them), his troublesome dog Angus—“a dog who ate homework—actually, who ate everything and then threw up afterward”—struggles with homework, and grappling with his best friend’s apparently uncaring behavior toward a squirrel. Serious values and issues are explored with a light touch. The cheery pencil illustrations show the school’s racially diverse population as well as the memorable image of Mr. Boone wearing an elephant costume. A minor oddity: why does a child so immersed in animal facts call his male chicken a rooster but his female chickens chickens?
Another winner from Mills, equally well suited to reading aloud and independent reading. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: June 14, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-374-30223-8
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
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by Claudia Mills ; illustrated by Grace Zong
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by Claudia Mills ; illustrated by Grace Zong
by Kwame Alexander & illustrated by Tim Bowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2011
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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by Kwame Alexander & Deanna Nikaido ; illustrated by Melissa Sweet
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by Kwame Alexander ; illustrated by Dare Coulter
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