Sayre (If You Should Hear a Honey Guide, 1995, etc.) using "home at last" as her refrain, achieves an evocation of the ancient rhythm of migration, as warbler, salmon, green turtle, and wood frog mark the passage of the seasons as dictated by their biological imperatives. There are also a number of more incredible examples of migration: millions of monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles, Arctic terns cover half the globe in their peregrinations, spiny lobsters in lockstep formation poke along at five miles a day. Research into migration has yielded some tantalizing notions, of magnetic directioning and star paths and chemical traces, and Sayre includes some of this material, lightly in the text and more fleshed out in an explanatory spread at the end of the book. Text and the soft pastels impart the timelessness of migration, and may strike a deep chord in young readers. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-8050-5154-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1998
A Southwestern cooking show spied through the farmhouse window inspires a rooster weary of the same-old same-old to plan a farmyard fiesta with filched garden tomatoes, chiles, cilantro and other produce. With a rodent syndicate supplying the chips for the salsa, the cheese for the nachos, the avocados for the “quackamole” and the requisite sombreros, the stage is set. Bogan’s big cartoon scenes capture the increasing excitement, as well as the general bliss brought on by plenty of pre-fiesta snacking. Alas, it all comes to naught, though, as the produce is suddenly appropriated by the farmer’s wife for County Fair tamales. Still, three recipes in the back, a cutout poster attached to the jacket, plus a new venture by the rooster into French cuisine, compensate, at least in part, for the downer ending. Olé! (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2005
ISBN: 1-58234-972-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2005
Mélanie Watt is NOT the author of this book—Chester, her plump calico cat with the big red marker, is. Mouse is NOT the star of the story. Chester uses his red marker to edit the story, sending Mouse on a vacation: “Hasta la vista, Mousie!” Mouse returns from Mexico with a big bulldog. Chester uses the power of the pen to make the dog vegetarian. Mélanie and Mouse try to take back control, but Chester edits himself a perfectly Chester-filled day. Mélanie rains on his parade, so Chester writes THE END. When Mélanie capitulates and makes Chester the star, he’s not the least bit happy with the wardrobe. Canadian creator of Scaredy Squirrel, Watt has concocted an excellent and decidedly silly addition to the meta-textual picture-book canon. Chester is a cheeky and delightful author/hero. He’s even conveniently marked a place on the cover of his book for an award sticker. Highly recommended. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55453-140-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2007
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