by Bruce Hale ; illustrated by Dave Garbot ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2013
Ultimately, this average effort fails to engage and challenge like the I Spy series, but it does offer a holiday-themed...
A thief has stolen all the candy, and Frankenstein’s monster must solve the case in order to save Halloween.
In the manner of their previous Seek and Solve Mystery (Santa on the Loose, 2012), Hale and Garbot invite readers to help them figure out who is guilty of grabbing the treats. The opening spread shows portraits of the suspects with their possessions, including Vampire Bob, Joey Bones, Igor, Willy the Werewolf, Rowan the Witch and mummy Nefertiti. Readers must then try to spot Frankie in crowded cartoon settings, such as the cemetery, a haunted house, the pumpkin patch and a corn maze. Frankie’s pea green complexion matches those of witches, ghouls and various plants, making the search for him a bit of a challenge. When found, Frankie has a clue in his hand. As the objects accumulate, savvy readers will deduce who is the culprit. For younger searchers, all the items are presented on a concluding spread to help them guess who has made off with the sweets. Garbot packs the pages with silly details that many children will enjoy poring over. For those seeking a further challenge, a “Bonus Search” encourages another flip through the book.
Ultimately, this average effort fails to engage and challenge like the I Spy series, but it does offer a holiday-themed activity to do when all of the candy is eaten and the costumes are put away. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-223706-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
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by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Andy Elkerton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 6, 2022
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses.
An elusive new quarry leads the How To Catch… kids on a merry chase through a natural history museum.
Taking at least a step away from the “hunters versus prey” vibe of previous entries in the popular series, the racially diverse group of young visitors dashes through various museum halls in pursuit of the eponymous dino—whose quest to “spread kindness and joy ’round the world” takes the form of a mildly tumultuous museum tour. In most of Elkerton’s overly sweet, color-saturated scenes, only portions of the Loveosaurus, who is purple and covered with pink hearts, are visible behind exhibits or lumbering off the page. But the children find small enticements left behind, from craft supplies to make cards for endangered species to pictures of smiley faces, candy heart–style personal notes (“You Rock!” “Give Hugs”), and, in the hall of medieval arms and armor, a sign urging them to “Be Honest Be Kind.” The somewhat heavy-handed lesson comes through loud and clear. “There’s a message, he wants us to think,” hints Walstead to clue in more obtuse readers…and concluding scenes of smiling people young and otherwise exchanging hugs and knuckle bumps, holding doors for a wheelchair rider, and dancing through clouds of sparkles indicate that they, at least, have gotten it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 9781728268781
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
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by Alice Walstead ; illustrated by Emma Gillette & Andy Elkerton
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by Matt Tavares ; illustrated by Matt Tavares ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 19, 2017
A touching, beautifully illustrated story of greatest interest to those in the New York City area.
A pair of cardinals is separated and then reunited when their tree home is moved to New York City to serve as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
The male cardinal, Red, and his female partner, Lulu, enjoy their home in a huge evergreen tree located in the front yard of a small house in a pleasant neighborhood. When the tree is cut down and hauled away on a truck, Lulu is still inside the tree. Red follows the truck into the city but loses sight of it and gets lost. The birds are reunited when Red finds the tree transformed with colored lights and serving as the Christmas tree in a complex of city buildings. When the tree is removed after Christmas, the birds find a new home in a nearby park. Each following Christmas, the pair visit the new tree erected in the same location. Attractive illustrations effectively handle some difficult challenges of dimension and perspective and create a glowing, magical atmosphere for the snowy Christmas trees. The original owners of the tree are a multiracial family with two children; the father is African-American and the mother is white. The family is in the background in the early pages, reappearing again skating on the rink at Rockefeller Center with their tree in the background.
A touching, beautifully illustrated story of greatest interest to those in the New York City area. (author’s note) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7733-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
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