A squeaky-clean biography of the original Mouseketeer.
Scollon begins with the (to say the least) arguable claim that Disney grew up to “define and shape what would come to be known as the American Century.” Following this, he retraces Disney’s life and career, characterizing him as a visionary whose only real setbacks came from excess ambition or at the hands of unscrupulous film distributors. Disney’s brother Roy appears repeatedly to switch between roles as encourager and lead doubter, but except in chapters covering his childhood, the rest of his family only puts in occasional cameos. Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of Disney’s post–World War II redbaiting, and his most controversial film, Song of the South, gets only a single reference (and that with a positive slant). More puzzling is the absence of Mary Poppins from the tally of Disney triumphs. Still, readers will come away with a good general picture of the filmmaking and animation techniques that Disney pioneered, as well as a highlight history of his studio, television work and amusement parks. Discussion questions are appended: “What do you think were Walt Disney’s greatest accomplishments and why?” Brown’s illustrations not seen. An iconic success story that has often been told before but rarely so one-dimensionally or with such firm adherence to the company line. (bibliography) (Biography. 8-10)
Pub Date: July 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-9647-1
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2014
A loving homage to the last baseball clown.
Max Patkin had a very long and rewarding career in baseball, but it wasn’t in the way he originally planned.
He was a good-enough pitcher to earn a place in the minor leagues. In 1942 he was sidelined by an injury and joined the Navy. After surgery he was good to go: to Hawaii to play baseball with other professional players as a way of entertaining the troops. He played with and against the likes of Pee Wee Reese and Joe DiMaggio. When DiMaggio hit a very long home run against him, Max followed him around the bases, mimicking his motions and garnering laughs and cheers from players and spectators. After the war he played in the minors again, but injuries ended his playing days. But his comic routines were remembered, and he was asked to perform at exhibition games all over the country. Everyone seemed to love his over-the-top slapstick and hilarious performances. Vernick displays warm affection for Patkin, describing his antics in amusing anecdotes that are followed by quoting his signature line, “True Story!” Bower’s colorful cartoons manage to capture the essence of Max’s goofy appearance and all-out efforts to elicit every bit of fun he could invent in the game he loved so much. It was a different time.
A loving homage to the last baseball clown. (author’s note, sources) (Picture book/ biography. 8-10)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-81377-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
Look to this eye-catching book to be convinced of the wonders of the bat and how they are deserving of protection, but be...
Chock-full of bat facts and photographs, this nonfiction book for young readers makes the case for bat conservation, including challenges that face the species and possible solutions.
Laidlaw opens the book with key bat facts about various species, how they live, and their biology, but he has already betrayed his true intent in the introduction: “I hope this book changes the way you think about bats and inspires you to get active helping them.” After the basics, it becomes a focused case for bat protection. Surprisingly, then, the chapter “Bats for a Healthy World” is the shortest, but it speaks to how vital bats are to the health of our ecosystem. Within each section, there are frequent, sometimes-intrusive “Bat Citizen” features that identify students (all presenting white) who are making positive impacts on bat communities. The smaller “bat facts” and “batty ideas” boxed items, on the other hand, fit in nicely with surrounding photographs. Though the scale is unclear, a striking center gatefold allows readers a closer look at a hoary bat. The backmatter includes a nice section on practical ways to help, but it doesn’t include any specific resources or works cited.
Look to this eye-catching book to be convinced of the wonders of the bat and how they are deserving of protection, but be prepared for advocacy. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 8-10)Pub Date: May 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77278-039-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Pajama Press
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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