A mixed bag: disappointing text but stunning illustrations.
Based loosely on the lullaby that begins, “I see the moon, and the moon sees me,” this book takes young readers on a journey around the world while following the phases of the moon.
From the plains of Mongolia to the Taj Mahal in India to a ship on an unnamed sea, the rhyming text simultaneously describes the status of the moon and the people and places it shines over. The words are a dialogue, alternating between a child asking the moon a question and the moon’s answers. Each call-and-response pairing is presented on a separate double-page spread and is accompanied by illustrations that show the moon phase described. While informative, the text is often clunky and lacks a logical flow. For example, it is unclear why the author mentions specific destinations in Europe and Asia and leaves other locations up to readers’ imaginations. Furthermore, the presentation can be confusing for a picture-book audience. At one point, for instance, the text mentions that what appears to be a half-moon is actually a quarter moon, but this mystifying statement is explained only in the backmatter. Where the book truly shines is in its visuals: Han masterfully uses a rich, dark palette to create pictures full of depth and life; in particular, the book’s two wordless spreads use light brilliantly. The illustrations include characters with a variety of hair textures and skin tones. The backmatter includes a general note on the moon, a glossary, and a description of the phases with accompanying illustrations; all is well written and fascinating for young readers.
A mixed bag: disappointing text but stunning illustrations. (Picture book. 3-6 )Pub Date: June 23, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1033-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Safe to creep on by.
Carle’s famous caterpillar expresses its love.
In three sentences that stretch out over most of the book’s 32 pages, the (here, at least) not-so-ravenous larva first describes the object of its love, then describes how that loved one makes it feel before concluding, “That’s why… / I[heart]U.” There is little original in either visual or textual content, much of it mined from The Very Hungry Caterpillar. “You are… / …so sweet,” proclaims the caterpillar as it crawls through the hole it’s munched in a strawberry; “…the cherry on my cake,” it says as it perches on the familiar square of chocolate cake; “…the apple of my eye,” it announces as it emerges from an apple. Images familiar from other works join the smiling sun that shone down on the caterpillar as it delivers assurances that “you make… / …the sun shine brighter / …the stars sparkle,” and so on. The book is small, only 7 inches high and 5 ¾ inches across when closed—probably not coincidentally about the size of a greeting card. While generations of children have grown up with the ravenous caterpillar, this collection of Carle imagery and platitudinous sentiment has little of his classic’s charm. The melding of Carle’s caterpillar with Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE on the book’s cover, alas, draws further attention to its derivative nature.
Safe to creep on by. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-448-48932-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2021
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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