This modern myth has the feel of an older story that will appeal to young readers of fairy tales and folklore.
A red-haired explorer pushes the boundaries of his world by inventing the first sailboat in this debut by author/illustrator Boscacci.
On a small island, in a small village, there lives a “medium sized boy” named Shand. With a curiosity that young readers will recognize, Shand wonders how far the ocean goes. His father has heard that going too far may send people over the edge of the world, but Shand is determined to find out for himself. With creativity inspired by a leaf, Shand enlists his mother to craft a sail, which gives a lovely contrast to the sea in Boscacci’s illustrations. Shand teaches himself to use his “wind catcher” and, facing a storm, learns valuable perseverance and self-confidence. He returns to the village and teaches others to make sails; the world becomes a smaller place. While readers familiar with Disney’s Moana will note familiar themes, they may wish for a little more focus on the action and a little less focus on Shand’s mother’s waiting for him to return. Perceptive readers may wonder how Shand’s people got to their little island without sails in the first place. But the theme of exploring beyond small horizons, particularly when accompanied by Boscacci’s appealing digital seascapes and Shand’s brilliant red sail, will have continual appeal.
This modern myth has the feel of an older story that will appeal to young readers of fairy tales and folklore.Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-79437-786-8
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Time Tunnel Media
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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