Surreal illustrations add disturbing and enjoyable vigor to this adaptation of “I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly.” The shy fellow is listening to a string duet when, much to the consternation of the cellist, he swallows the cello—“perhaps he’ll bellow.” This strange gentleman, now shaped like the cello he has swallowed, follows up with the harp from an Irish dance troupe, the saxophone from a jazz band, a cowboy’s fiddle, a marching band’s cymbal, the flute from a revolutionary war piper, and a birthday party’s kazoo. With each addition to his strange meal, the shy fellow becomes more and more strangely shaped. At last he swallows the bell off a passing cat’s collar—one snack too many!—and the resulting explosion returns the instruments to the musicians in a delightfully vibrant musical blast. The dynamic line of the illustrations, full of swoops and squiggles, provides excellent accompaniment to this silly reworking of a familiar rhyme. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 2004
ISBN: 1-59078-043-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2004
Sing this untraditional alphabet song out loud to older preschoolers who are confident in their knowledge of the alphabet...
“Twinkle, twinkle, ABC, / A mixed-up, mashed-up melody. / A twinkly star, an alphabet, / Just how silly can we get?”
Saltzberg brings together two familiar rhymes that share a tune—“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and the alphabet song—in a whimsical poem that encourages children to get up and move. “On a tightrope in the air, / Growl, GRRR, like you’re a bear! // Play a banjo on your knee, / HIJKLMNOP.” Letters of the alphabet float around in large, colorful display type, sometimes making it difficult to guess whether they are part of the song or part of the illustrations. Three kids delightedly frolic through the rhyme in vibrant, colorful cartoon illustrations outlined in thin black lines. The largest child has red hair and a fluorescent green face and wears a cowboy hat with a feather in it; the middle one has light brown hair in pigtails and a blue face and wears a dress. The littlest one has an orange face, blue-black curly, short hair and wears yellow footed pajamas. They dance with brio through various verses of this imaginative song with a trio of animal companions before falling asleep under the stars. “Twinkle, twinkle, ABC // A mixed-up, mashed-up, zzzzzz.”
Sing this untraditional alphabet song out loud to older preschoolers who are confident in their knowledge of the alphabet and will appreciate this creative and quirky “mixed-up, mashed-up jamboree!” (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7148-7507-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Phaidon
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
Executed well and fun to read, this is a great addition to an already acclaimed series.
In this companion to Geisel Award–winning Don’t Throw It to Mo! (2015), it’s basketball season for small and mighty Mo Jackson, who must practice, practice, and practice before the big game.
Everyone on the team is taller than the little black boy, and he’s struggling to make sure his passes reach their hands. Coach Emma tries to help, but it’s not coming easy. “I have to practice passing,” Mo tells his dad on the walk home after practice. The big game is Saturday, and Mo’s mom prepares him with a big breakfast. Mo and teammate Eve watch from the bench until Eve enters after halftime. The score remains close deep into the second half. Mo will finally have his chance, as his teammate Gail needs to get a rest. “Go in” Coach says, and everyone waits to see if Mo can do what he’s been practicing all week. He’s quickly backed into a crunch, with the overpowering adversary Big Max blocking his way. “Here goes,” Max says as the book races to a surprising finish. The cartoon-styled, detailed illustrations allow emerging readers to follow the developing plot and make predictions using essential character context clues, while an ethnically diverse set of characters and equally diverse array of youth body types found within the story make for a well-rounded portrait of today’s readers. Mo’s mom and dad are both black, and Coach Emma is both brown-skinned and a woman.
Executed well and fun to read, this is a great addition to an already acclaimed series. (Early reader. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-425-28978-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2017
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