As far back as she can remember, her grandparent’s horse has been her secret delight, refuge, and confidant, but when it dies, eight-year-old Kristine feels off balance, and instead of grieving, creates an emotional distance to protect herself from further hurt. The first-person narrative examines her progressive withdrawal and close nuclear-family support during her psychological struggle. Kristine thinks she is subtle in her rejection of Grandpa’s gift, a bright cuddly puppy, but Wallace expertly reveals what Kristine has hidden from herself, using her own words. Wallace skillfully builds bibliotherapeutic text rife with internal struggle, yet reveals, beneath the conflict, a happy, healthy, and well-balanced family life infused with warmth and humor. Grandpa and Kristine thieve cookie dough while grandma isn’t looking, homework and chores are dutifully performed, and family well-being always comes first. Despite some didactic text and conversation and phrasing too grown-up for the characters delivering them, cunningly told. (Fiction. 8-9)
Pub Date: June 15, 2004
ISBN: 0-8234-1818-9
Page Count: 214
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
Who is next in the ocean food chain? Pallotta has a surprising answer in this picture book glimpse of one curious boy. Danny, fascinated by plankton, takes his dory and rows out into the ocean, where he sees shrimp eating those plankton, fish sand eels eating shrimp, mackerel eating fish sand eels, bluefish chasing mackerel, tuna after bluefish, and killer whales after tuna. When an enormous humpbacked whale arrives on the scene, Danny’s dory tips over and he has to swim for a large rock or become—he worries’someone’s lunch. Surreal acrylic illustrations in vivid blues and red extend the story of a small boy, a small boat, and a vast ocean, in which the laws of the food chain are paramount. That the boy has been bathtub-bound during this entire imaginative foray doesn’t diminish the suspense, and the facts Pallotta presents are solidly researched. A charming fish tale about the one—the boy—that got away. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-88106-075-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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