Conquering fears, helping others, and perhaps a message about wild animals and human garbage—though almost wordless, this...
Minimal text and retro illustrations tell the parallel tales of a young boy and a bear cub.
Using only nine different words, Poulin’s text repeats for both the boy, on a camping trip with his mother, and the bear cub: “He’s a little scared” shows the boy on a limb that stretches out over the water, his mother waiting below with outstretched arms. On another spread, the words are illustrated with a bear cub on a similar limb above a dumpster. Following pages show the boy and his mother in their campsite and the cub inside the dumpster; both offspring are eating. Then the boy gets a chore: biking the trash over to the dumpster. “He’s very scared” shows the boy furiously pedaling away from the mother bear, who’s next to the dumpster where her cub is trapped. The humans return to the dumpster together and place a log inside so the cub can climb out. “No longer scared,” mom and son roast marshmallows under the moon, and the bears cuddle together. Joffre’s artwork, which appears to be paper collage, visually fills in the rest of the story, and readers can pore over the pages, which teem with details. The colors and style (especially the giant racing stripes on the mustard-colored pickup) lend the whole thing a retro feel that suits. Mother and son present white.
Conquering fears, helping others, and perhaps a message about wild animals and human garbage—though almost wordless, this book certainly says a lot. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77147-365-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
Unusual illustrations enhance an engaging, informative narrative.
What can a worm do?
A little worm sets off on a “twirl” to “see the world.” But when it overhears a human referring to it as “just a worm,” its feelings are hurt. The worm asks other critters—including a caterpillar, a spider, a dragonfly—what they can do. After each answer (turn into a butterfly, spin silk thread, fly), the worm becomes more and more dejected because it can’t do any of these things. “Maybe I am just a worm.” But then the worm encounters a ladybug, who eats aphids and other insects, and the worm realizes that it eats dead plants and animals and keeps gardens clean. And though the worm can’t pollinate like the bee, it does create castings (poop) that help plants grow and stay healthy. These abilities, the worm realizes in triumph, are important! The cleverness of this story lies in its lighthearted, effective dissemination of information about various insects as well as earthworms. It doesn’t hurt that the expressive little worm is downright adorable, with emotions that will resonate with anyone who has felt unimportant. The stunning illustrations are done in quilled paper—a centuries-old technique that involves assembling strips of colored paper into shapes—which adds sparkle and originality. A tutorial of how to make a quilled butterfly and a page on earthworm facts round out the book. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Unusual illustrations enhance an engaging, informative narrative. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 14, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-06-321256-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
For readers dying for a shark-themed Christmas book.
Sharks of many kinds enjoy a deep sea version of Christmas in this underwater holiday story.
Kids on land send their Christmas wishes to Santa Claus, but young sharks “line up for Santa Jaws,” a great white shark in a Santa hat who thinks all their wishes sound “delicious.” Deep in the workshop, elfin sharks make toys from shells. Horn sharks “trim the Christmas kelp.” Lantern sharks light the night as shark families sing carols. And on the big night, Santa Jaws rides in his sleigh, the prow of a wrecked ship pulled by “hungry hammerheads,” and delivers fishy toys for good sharks and rotten fish for bad pups. A final spread gives fun facts about the eight shark species that appear in the story. The text is delivered in rhyming couplets, and the running joke about Santa Jaws wanting to eat everything is explained in a concluding note about the munching habits of great white sharks. The colorful illustrations put the ocean theme to good use: The pictures are cartoony, but the blue and green color palette is decorated with realistically colorful shells and seaweed. Only the Santa hat and shark-fin–shaped stockings superimpose artificial red and white Christmas colors. The text is bouncy, and the endmatter is informative. While this ephemeral offering is unlikely to earn a permanent spot on shelves, it will glean chuckles and interest from a select group of youngsters interested in marine life. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
For readers dying for a shark-themed Christmas book. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-24462-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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