Paging through this long series of full-page or full-spread serigraphic seasonal scenes and iconic images quickly becomes immersive. As the artist goes for silhouettes and broad, sometimes layered patches of color rather than fine detail (though there’s some of that too, in a delicate mosquito or the subtle sheen of a luscious plum), the multi-year round has an abstract, dreamlike quality that will draw viewers into the rhythms of each season. It’s a human-centered but outdoorsy world: Flowers and leaves bud, open and fall; birds thread a piece of yarn into their nest; an ice-cream cart wheels by; a splashy swim is followed by a sunburned back. Though the mood is largely idyllic, a flood, a forest fire, an avalanche and several other dramatic incidents add emotional dimension. Big one- or two-word captions accompany each picture and sometimes create links—a fall of “Snow” draws grown-ups outside for a “Snowball Fight,” which gives way to “Silence” over a pulled-back view of an isolated, cozy house with a curl of smoke above the chimney. Both a stylish debut (on this side of the Atlantic) and a distinctive showcase for this French comics illustrator. (Artist’s album. 4 & up)
Pub Date: April 30, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59270-095-0
Page Count: 180
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2010
Never pedantic, this book encourages a fun, developmentally appropriate way to look at the world.
“Pitter, pitter, pat! Pitter, pitter, pat!...Hey, it’s a pitter, pitter pattern!”
Spots (on a dog), nested diamonds (on the wallpaper), houndstooth (on clothing)—there are so many patterns to see! At first, Hesselberth presents sequences textually with visual support as main character Lu, with light-brown skin and dark-brown hair, helps her friends (a short, black-presenting child and a tall, white-presenting child) remove their wet boots. Then the days of the week carry the narrative along to next Sunday, when Lu can see her friends again. There are patterns to identify in each day’s activity, like the pentagons on a soccer ball, beats in a musical piece, and intricate quilt patterns. Guided identification transitions easily into open questions (“Are there patterns here?”) for nature scenes viewed with Lu’s interracial family. Geometric illustrations are chock full of patterns to spot, but the sweeping two-paged spreads are never overwhelming, partially thanks to strategically juxtaposed colors. Hesselberth includes backmatter on pattern types (repeating vs. growing) and places to find patterns (nature, time, etc.) to prompt further discussions. The text and essential pictures offer bountiful opportunities for reader interaction, whether one-on-one or in a group setting. Young ones can verbally identify or point to their discoveries or participate in rhythmic clapping and repetitive dance moves. There’s lots to discover as well as several methods to access the lesson.
Never pedantic, this book encourages a fun, developmentally appropriate way to look at the world. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-274123-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 8, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2019
Comic fun for those who appreciate farce—or monsters.
The creators of Goosebumps and Arthur team up for a monster of a joke book.
Two monster friends, one big, one little, perch on a tree branch. Funny decides to improve glum Hunny’s mood with some irresistible jokes. Hunny remains unimpressed and resolutely grumpy, but Funny increasingly ups the ante, assuring Hunny more and more firmly that the best gags are yet to come. Funny tells a dozen jokes in total. Some are incoherent, while others are mildly amusing; all but one feature monsters, many involving monstrous appetites: “What’s the monster’s favorite school lunch?” “The teacher!” Funny believes that each one is hilarious and cracks themself up, but Hunny is unmoved. The impasse is resolved with one moment of slapstick: Funny jumps up and down on the branch in frustration, then becomes unbalanced, falls off the limb, and lands in the water below with a huge splash. Hunny thinks that the pratfall is hilarious and finally guffaws, good humor restored. Many readers will find the so-bad-they’re-good jokes and the ending satisfyingly absurd. Blocky collage illustrations of varied textures and cheerful colors, set against a flat background, carry readers through the text; the monsters are toothy, but most are reasonably friendly looking. Touches of red provide accents. Large text and mostly simple words will appeal to beginning readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Comic fun for those who appreciate farce—or monsters. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: July 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-338-81525-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
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