An endearing, if slightly stiff , children’s book about bullying.
Debut author and retired educator Dudley takes on the subject of bullying through the adventures of Siggy, a spunky, one-winged mockingbird.
Ever since he was adopted by Mama Sparrow, Siggy has led a blissful life in his forest home. Or, at least, it would be—if he could escape the persistent bullying of Ickie and Vickie, a pair of mean-spirited blue jays who like to pick on other birds. When the jays corner Siggy on a strawberry-gathering expedition, he uses his own special gift for mimicking others’ voices to outwit them. Later, he learns the importance of discussing social problems with an adult. Dudley emphasizes the story’s moral in a brief discussion guide that follows the main text, offering questions and advice for children who are currently being victimized by bullies. Debut illustrator Reynolds’ snappy, comic-book style illustrations will likely draw in reluctant readers, but the story itself falls short in its refusal to grapple with real-life complexities. For example, she renders the characters in a reductive, good-or-evil fashion, and many children many not be convinced by the ease with which Siggy resolves his problems. Occasionally mawkish or stilted dialogue contributes to the lack of authenticity, and some lines seem almost expressionless: “They’re being mean to everyone today. You should watch out.” Readers may also find Siggy’s family interactions a little saccharine. That said, it’s refreshing to read a children’s book in which single-parent families, adopted children and disabilities are portrayed as normal and unremarkable, and the resources at the end of the book may help spark frank conversations about the issues Dudley raises.
An endearing, if slightly stiff , children’s book about bullying.Pub Date: June 18, 2013
ISBN: 978-1457519949
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 17, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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