Megabat goes overboard at Daniel’s birthday, causing a bit of trouble.
Daniel’s birthday is coming up, and he’s throwing a party. All of his friends are excited and ask Daniel what he wants for presents. Megabat wants some too, but when Daniel explains that only the birthday person receives gifts, Megabat thinks it is unfair. As Daniel prepares for his All-You-Can-Eat Sugar Cereal Pig-Out Party, going shopping and making a piñata, Megabat’s excitement starts to grow. But Megabat notices Daniel and their friend Talia keeping secrets, causing Megabat to feel left out. On the day of the party, Megabat has to hide under Daniel’s hat, can’t play the party games, and is scolded a few times. When Megabat loses his temper, he breaks one of Daniel’s birthday presents and decides to run away. Megabat soon finds out being alone with nowhere to go is not easy or fun. This fourth installment of the series is another funny, quirky story about personal insecurities and friendship. Megabat here comes off as whiny rather than sympathetic, with behavior that may alienate readers. The familiar black-and-white drawings are adorable, however. Megabat’s idiosyncratic English can be difficult to read and understand at times. Daniel is of Japanese heritage; Talia presents White.
Fans of the series will enjoy this amusing fourth book, but newcomers may have a hard time warming up to the title character. (bat facts) (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6604-9
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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A long-running series reaches its closing chapters.
Having, as Kline notes in her warm valedictory acknowledgements, taken 30 years to get through second and third grade, Harry Spooger is overdue to move on—but not just into fourth grade, it turns out, as his family is moving to another town as soon as the school year ends. The news leaves his best friend, narrator “Dougo,” devastated…particularly as Harry doesn’t seem all that fussed about it. With series fans in mind, the author takes Harry through a sort of last-day-of-school farewell tour. From his desk he pulls a burned hot dog and other items that featured in past episodes, says goodbye to Song Lee and other classmates, and even (for the first time ever) leads Doug and readers into his house and memento-strewn room for further reminiscing. Of course, Harry isn’t as blasé about the move as he pretends, and eyes aren’t exactly dry when he departs. But hardly is he out of sight before Doug is meeting Mohammad, a new neighbor from Syria who (along with further diversifying a cast that began as mostly white but has become increasingly multiethnic over the years) will also be starting fourth grade at summer’s end, and planning a written account of his “horrible” buddy’s exploits. Finished illustrations not seen.
A fitting farewell, still funny, acute, and positive in its view of human nature even in its 37th episode. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: Nov. 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-451-47963-1
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS
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