Though set in an English country village, this is no tale of pastoral beauty. The Depression has dispersed Mary's family: While her miner father is looking for work and sister Phyl is a kitchen maid at a distant manor, Mary and her mother are home with two younger children. Until she turns 12 and can get part time work, Mary's only hope for earning money is in racing her father's pigeons, including the promising Speedwell. Worn down by poverty and dreams gone awry, her practical mother is scornful of the sport; when food runs out and she cooks up three pigeons, Mary runs away. Turnbull's story demands that readers infer the details of pigeon racing, but rewards them with the subtle revelation of Mary's courage and determination. Her family's struggles become bitterly apparent with each new initiative, while Mary's simple, childish dreams of prizes and the resolution of her worries about her mother's lack of affection unleash the novel's optimism. The ending is not entirely upbeat, but it's gratifying and realistic. A striking jacket by Reg Cartwright will grab readers from the start. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1992
ISBN: 1-56402-112-2
Page Count: 119
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1992
Each year, thousands of harp seals gather on the ice packs of eastern Canada to give birth; Richard Sobol and his eight-year-old son Jonah traveled to one seal colony, 100 miles north of Prince Edward Island, to record the event. In the harsh frozen environment, where spring temperatures are below zero, the cycle of giving birth, nursing, and mating occurs in just two weeks—during which the furry, white, 20-pound babies must gain 60 pounds and learn to swim in order to survive. Vivid color photos complement the text: a startled, sticky, wet pup, minutes after birth, his coat still yellow; a roly-poly seal getting a first swim lesson; Jonah, wrapped to his eyeballs, sitting on the ice floe to hug a pup. Good detail, a strong conservation plea, and an appealing adventure. List of seal facts. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-525-65126-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1993
Planning, constructing, stocking, and maintaining the N.J. State Aquarium at Camden (one of the largest in the country), which took seven years to construct and cost over $52,000,000. Without access to fresh seawater, the aquarium makes its own ``seasoup'' a batch at a time with 160,000 pounds of table salt plus nearly 100,000 pounds of other chemicals. Most interesting are the quotes, from scientists, scuba divers, and others involved in the aquarium's construction and daily work; Riley stresses the importance of careful management of sea resources and study of the sea as the final frontier. Presented as a journal, her narrative is somewhat choppy and difficult to follow. Color photos are plentiful but uncaptioned, and sometimes poorly placed. Segaloff's Reef Comes To Life(1991) tells a similar story with greater clarity and more striking photos. Of special interest to those who live in or near New Jersey. Brief glossary; index. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-7167-6509-8
Page Count: 80
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1993
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
