adapted by Arthur Robins & illustrated by Arthur Robins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1998
paper 0-7636-0452-6 This version of the teeny tiny classic is a teeny bit silly and a tiny bit scary. Robins’s illustrations have the loose, jittery lines of Sue Truesdell’s work, allowing him to draw creepy bats and graveyards with no fear of terrifying the preschool audience. When the teeny tiny woman sets off on her foray to the graveyard for a bone, she dons a polka dot hat and accessories that would make a clown proud. She plucks a bone from a grave, plunks it in her bag, and heads back home, where she stores it in her cupboard. When she’s about to go to sleep, a green-fingered monster shows up to retrieve what’s his. All readers see at first is a few hairy green digits wrapped around the door, and one glowing eye. The suspense builds as the ghoul demands “Give me back my bone!” and when the little woman finally yells “TAKE IT!” the illustration almost shouts, too, with a full-page view of her wide open mouth. Despite the tale’s familiarity, this version guarantees a spine-tingling jump. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-7636-0444-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1998
Share your opinion of this book
More by John O'Driscoll
BOOK REVIEW
by John O'Driscoll Richard Kelley illustrated by Arthur Robins
BOOK REVIEW
by T.S. Eliot ; illustrated by Arthur Robins
BOOK REVIEW
by T.S. Eliot ; illustrated by Arthur Robins
by Kathryn Heling Deborah Hembrook & illustrated by Andy Robert Davies ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2012
Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun.
Heling and Hembrook’s clever conceit challenges children to analyze a small town’s clotheslines to guess the job each of their owners does.
Close-up on the clothesline: “Uniform and cap, / an invite for you. / Big bag of letters. / What job does she do?” A turn of the page reveals a macro view of the home, van and the woman doing her job, “She is a mail carrier.” Indeed, she can be spotted throughout the book delivering invitations to all the rest of the characters, who gather at the end for a “Launch Party.” The verses’ rhymes are spot-on, though the rhythm falters a couple of times. The authors nicely mix up the gender stereotypes often associated with several of these occupations, making the carpenter, firefighter and astronaut women. But while Davies keeps uniforms and props pretty neutral (he even avoids U.S. mail symbols), he keeps to the stereotypes that allow young readers to easily identify occupations—the farmer chews on a stalk of wheat; the beret-wearing artist sports a curly mustache. A subdued palette and plain white backgrounds keep kids’ focus on the clothing clues. Still, there are plenty of details to absorb—the cat with arched back that anticipates a spray of water, the firefighter who “lights” the rocket.
Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-58089-251-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies
More by Kathryn Heling
BOOK REVIEW
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda
BOOK REVIEW
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies
BOOK REVIEW
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Rosie Butcher
by David Shannon & illustrated by David Shannon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2008
Spencer owns a multitude of toys: old toys and new ones, big toys and small ones, bath toys, wooden toys, board games, computer games, miniature cars and trucks, musical instruments, stuffed animals and action figures. They are everywhere, including on the floor where his parents can trip on them. One day, Spencer’s mom has had enough and announces that some of the toys have to go. Shaken, Spencer cries, “BUT I LOVE THEM ALL!” There’s no stopping Spencer’s mom, however, who says she will help and proves to be a worthy adversary when Spencer attempts to make deals. Snappy dialogue and an absolutely on-target understanding of the psyches of both mother and child make the negotiation scene absolutely priceless. Will they both make it through the harrowing task before them? The elaborate, child-friendly pictures perfectly capture Spencer’s world, zeroing in on the chaos with glee and then pulling back to demonstrate graphically the traumas suffered by both adults and child in the process. Shannon’s sardonic wit will strike a chord with parents and children alike. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-439-49029-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2008
Share your opinion of this book
More by David Shannon
BOOK REVIEW
by David Shannon ; illustrated by David Shannon
BOOK REVIEW
by David Shannon ; illustrated by David Shannon
BOOK REVIEW
by David Shannon ; illustrated by David Shannon
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.