An appealing, playful tale about unique creature learning to fit in.
A decapod travels to France as a specimen and becomes a member of a scientist’s household in this whimsical tale by Ferebee, the author/illustrator of The Songs that Paper Sings (2015).
When Professor Bagette discovers a 10-legged, one-eyed, spiderlike bug on an island jaunt, he’s eager to get the creature home to his lab in France. There, he shows it to his housekeeper, Madame Gazou, who “never had gotten used to his collection of creepy crawly things!” She does her best to adjust when the new bug grows to enormous size, due to the effects of the professor’s “experimental plant solution.” The homesick bug, whom the professor names Bébert, learns how to be a useful part of the household, cleaning alongside Madame Gazou and keeping his webs to one corner of a room. When Bébert begins to play his web like a harp, the music is so enchanting that Professor Bagette decides to introduce him to the villagers. Though they’re initially afraid, the villagers quickly recognize how remarkable Bébert is, and the town merchants even give him a nice beret and shoes to even his gait. (The French villagers all have pale skin, and their old-fashioned clothing gives the sense of an earlier era than the present.) This whimsical story has plenty of charm, and young, independent readers will find it accessible, despite lengthy sections of text. Ferebee integrates French phrases and honorifics smoothly, and the narrator’s occasional direct statements to the audience (“well, wouldn’t you?”) will encourage lap readers to chime in with responses. However, the author interchangeably uses the terms “insect” and “spider” for 10-legged Bébert, which may have knowledgeable, critter-loving preschoolers up in arms. She also neglects an opportunity to introduce young readers to the definition of the word “decapod.” Her mixed-media illustrations are the book’s highlight, featuring painted backgrounds layered with cutout characters and objects, and they create a soft, enjoyable aesthetic.
An appealing, playful tale about unique creature learning to fit in.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-71487-942-7
Page Count: -
Publisher: Atticus Porch Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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