Middle-of-the-road farm fare.
Turns out he was following more than just the chickens….
Donkey politely but urgently wakes the farmer, a white man in pig-adorned pajamas, at 5:05 a.m. to tell him the pigs have escaped and are headed to town. The farmer doesn’t believe his donkey. An hour later, Donkey wakes the farmer again to tell him the cow has escaped—and so have the sheep. While the farmer’s making coffee at 6:25, Donkey tells him the chickens and the goats are gone too…turns out the fair is on, and every animal is headed there. The man and his ass get on the tractor (the goats drove off in the truck) and head out to capture the contrary critters. After the roundup, the farmer wonders how this could have happened. Donkey says, “I believe you left the barn door open, Sir.” James’ debut farm fable is told entirely in pictures and dialogue. Alternating between Donkey and the farmer’s conversation, laid out on full- and double-page spreads in green and red type, respectively, is the speech-balloon dialogue of the runaway animals, drawn in comic-style panels that depict them on the way to and having fun at the fair. Herrod’s stubby-legged, pudgy, happy farm animals are pretty funny riding the roller coaster, going down a water slide, zooming on a zip line. The low-key humor—particularly the uber-serious Donkey’s deadpan politeness—and simple story are enjoyable, but, frustratingly, the tale never takes advantage of the joke its title riffs on.
Middle-of-the-road farm fare. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 15, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58536-963-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade.
An ant explores her world.
Addie Ant’s ready for adventure. Despite some trepidation about leaving the Tomato Bed, where she lives with her aunt, she plucks up her courage and ventures forth across the garden to the far side of the shed. On her journey, she meets her pal Lewis Ladybug, who greets her warmly, points the way, and offers sage advice. When Addie arrives at her destination, she’s welcomed by lovely Beatrix Butterfly and enjoys an “ant-tastic” helping of watermelon. Beatrix also provides Addie with take-home treats and a map for the “Cricket Express,” which will take her straight home. Arriving at the terminal, Addie’s delighted to meet another friend, Cleo Cricket, whose carriage service returns Addie home in “two hops.” After eating a warm tomato soup dinner, Addie falls asleep and dreams of future exploits. Adorable though not terribly original, this story brims with sensuous pleasures, both textual and visual. Kids who declare that they dislike fruits or veggies may find their mouths watering at the mentions and sights of luscious tomatoes, peas, beans, watermelons, berries, and other foodstuffs; insect-averse readers may likewise think differently after encountering these convivial, wide-eyed characters. And those flowers and herbs everywhere! The highlights are the colors that burst from the pages. Addie’s an endearing, empowering character who reassures children they’ll be able to take those first independent steps successfully.
Young readers will be “antsy” to join the hero on her satisfying escapade. (author’s note about ants) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781797228914
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
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