Not particularly original but a sweet addition to the shelf of translated picture books.
Two neighbors could not be more different than Mr. Gray and Miss Frolic.
Mr. Gray is a numbers man and a famous professor. Everything about him is gray: his house, his dog, Tuffy, his clothes, and even his canary. He also hates noise, so he is forever annoyed with his neighbor, Frieda Frolic, who disturbs his morning meditations by “cheerfully warbling, singing, and laughing” and puttering about her garden with her piglet, Rosa. Miss Frolic is quite colorful; in fact, she is a painter. One afternoon, she is painting an especially beautiful and lifelike yellow bird when it comes to life and flies over to Mr. Gray’s house. He is just about to tell Miss Frolic off when she removes her sunglasses. He sees her beautiful blue-gray eyes and is smitten. They begin spending much time together. Mr. Gray becomes more colorful, and eventually, he proposes marriage. The two sail off together in “life’s boat” with a now happy Tuffy, Rosa the piglet, Miss Frolic’s yellow bird, and Mr. Gray’s no-longer-gray canary. First published in Switzerland (Herr Grau & Frieda Fröhlich, 2021), this translation by Wilson tells a simple, unlikely love story with colored-pencil illustrations that are charming and mirror Mr. Gray’s journey from drab to fab. There is a lot of text for a picture book, and because of the small font, this book is probably best shared one-on-one. The protagonists are White. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not particularly original but a sweet addition to the shelf of translated picture books. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4473-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
With true fearlessness and finely honed skills, this talented duo has created a most entertaining hero.
Preschoolers everywhere can relate to the steely bravery, sheer willpower and steady determination it often takes to surmount the herculean obstacles a day can bring.
Kel Gilligan is no ordinary boy. He is a daredevil. He is “the boy without fear.” He can do amazing things all by himself: eat broccoli, face “the Potty of Doom,” get dressed, keep busy while Mom “finishes her conversation… / UNINTERRUPTED!!,” take “a bath with one assistant,” and “go to bed without checking the room for monsters.” The pages are peppered with word bubbles bearing over-the-top declarations from Kel and equally humorous reactions from Kel’s family members. Grandma always claps, while the others exclaim in awed disbelief when the stunt is accomplished. Santat depicts these impressive feats with illustrations that have a retro comic-book look. Kel is portrayed most often with a manly face with an expressive brow. He talks tough and looks even tougher…except when his nerves are tested. Can he really get that shirt on? Will Mom ever get off the phone? Who knew going potty would take so long? Whether he is in underpants, in his caped stuntman outfit or bare-bottomed, young readers (and their grown-ups) cannot help but laugh out loud at the hilarious details of Kel’s silly adventures because they tackle them daily and know them too well.
With true fearlessness and finely honed skills, this talented duo has created a most entertaining hero. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0379-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Solid series additions that teach useful skills and the power of practice.
Murphy’s I See I Learn visual learning series continues with two new titles for children that focus on the cognitive skill of name writing and strategies to stay safe when lost.
When Freda’s attention wanders to the toy store window, she stops to look, but her class keeps walking toward the firehouse. Lost, Freda must use all she has learned to help her teachers and classmates find her again. She stays calm, gets help from an adult and is able to tell that adult about herself—full name, address, phone number and school and teacher names. A final flow chart presents readers with these steps, and questions to the readers focus on “What if…” The scariness of being lost is ameliorated somewhat by the fact that most of the illustrations show the class within sight of Freda. In the simultaneously publishing Write On, Carlos (2011), Carlos asks his mom for help in learning to write his name. Over several days, readers can see that his practice is paying off as he progresses from being able to write “Car” to proudly writing his full name on paper, in sand and with chalk while his supportive friends watch. An alphabet chart at the bottom of many pages highlights the letters used to form the names, while the final question section asks readers what names they can write. The bright illustrations clearly show both the effort that Carlos is expending and his imperfect practice pages.
Solid series additions that teach useful skills and the power of practice. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: July 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58089-462-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2011
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