While the plot moves briskly and the small black-and-white illustrations support the text effectively, it’s hard to imagine...
There’s no obvious audience for this (very) odd import.
The position of Big, Bad Wolf has recently opened up and Karl, an aggressive sheep, decides to apply for it. Accompanied by his kindhearted friend Locke, he wins a probationary period and dons the wolf’s matted fur and fierce fangs. An unpleasant episode of cannibalism, Locke’s unlikely but effective adoption of the role of Hunter, the rescue of the eaten sheep and Karl’s repentance ensue. Most often presented in picture-book format, fractured fairy tales draw on familiar characters and action then add a twist to bring surprise and humor. There are also some novel-length adaptations that play with folk tale motifs to create original, entertaining versions of traditional tales. It can be tricky, though, to engage older readers using what they might consider babyish plots or themes, so the fact that this translation features elements of "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Pigs" may give readers pause. Add the challenging vocabulary, arch humor, relative brevity and—true to the original tone of German folktales, some downright gruesome elements—and the ideal (or even intended) audience becomes even more unclear.
While the plot moves briskly and the small black-and-white illustrations support the text effectively, it’s hard to imagine who might enjoy this odd mishmash of fairy-tale tropes and philosophical ponderings. (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5409-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012
Wholesome? Yes. Proper hard work and teamwork values in place? Yes. Paint by numbers? Oh, yes.
Olympic gold medalist Morgan runs down the celebrity-sports-fiction checklist in this series opener: New school? Check. New friends? Check. New boyfriend? Maybe! New soccer team? Check. Inspire said team to take on snooty archrival private school? Check.
Quickly shedding perfunctory initial reservations, Devin sails into seventh grade at Kentville Middle School, makes instant connections in class and at Kangaroos soccer tryouts. She meets requisite bully Mirabelle at the latter, then goes on to be elected team co-captain. After a disastrous start to the season, she helps her team’s members and even the less-than-rigorous coach land on the same winning page. Following a sleepover, a dance, team-building drills and exercises, pep rallies, minor problem-solving and motivational strategizing, Devin prods the Kangaroos into position to beat the haughty Pinewood Panthers in a climactic rematch while also schooling Mirabelle, who has jumped ship to join the rival team.
Wholesome? Yes. Proper hard work and teamwork values in place? Yes. Paint by numbers? Oh, yes. (soccer glossary) (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: May 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8570-9
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
Ironically, by choosing such a dramatic catalyst, the author weakens the adventure’s impact overall and leaves readers to...
A group of talking farm animals catches wind of the farm owner’s intention to burn the barn (with them in it) for insurance money and hatches a plan to flee.
Bond begins briskly—within the first 10 pages, barn cat Burdock has overheard Dewey Baxter’s nefarious plan, and by Page 17, all of the farm animals have been introduced and Burdock is sharing the terrifying news. Grady, Dewey’s (ever-so-slightly) more principled brother, refuses to go along, but instead of standing his ground, he simply disappears. This leaves the animals to fend for themselves. They do so by relying on their individual strengths and one another. Their talents and personalities match their species, bringing an element of realism to balance the fantasy elements. However, nothing can truly compensate for the bland horror of the premise. Not the growing sense of family among the animals, the serendipitous intervention of an unknown inhabitant of the barn, nor the convenient discovery of an alternate home. Meanwhile, Bond’s black-and-white drawings, justly compared to those of Garth Williams, amplify the sense of dissonance. Charming vignettes and single- and double-page illustrations create a pastoral world into which the threat of large-scale violence comes as a shock.
Ironically, by choosing such a dramatic catalyst, the author weakens the adventure’s impact overall and leaves readers to ponder the awkward coincidences that propel the plot. (Animal fantasy. 8-10)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-544-33217-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 31, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2015
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