A good-hearted, if somewhat confusing, meditation.
Oliver searches for his proper place.
“Do you ever wonder where you fit?” Puzzle piece Oliver, with a large round head that’s half blue and half orange, wants to be part of something exciting, wild, out of this world. But where? On his first puzzle he tries, he’s the wrong color; on the second, the wrong shape. Oliver decides that being himself is getting him nowhere; he colors himself red to fit in. This works, until his shape gets him ejected. He tries different appendages to change his nature, all to no avail. Desperate, Oliver decides to go to extremes. He changes himself, with tape and staples and a purple crayon, till he’s unrecognizable. He fits snugly into a purple puzzle. Everything is perfect, but it doesn’t feel that way to Oliver. He’s pretending he’s someone else. “What fun is it to fit in?” When he takes off his disguise, he’s immediately rejected and alone again. Still, Oliver’s glad to feel like himself again. He looks around and sees other pieces that, like him, have tried glue and tape and other bits to fit in. Maybe they’ll all fit together. They do, in a genre-mashing picture that’s exciting, wild, and out of this world. Atkinson’s message on being true to yourself is valuable, but his puzzle-piece metaphor has its limitations when applied to individuality. His Photoshop artwork bursts with color and ingenuity, however.
A good-hearted, if somewhat confusing, meditation. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-101-91907-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
Relatable bedtime fare.
In this picture book from comedian Gatto, a little one embarks on a nighttime detective caper while also learning some calming techniques.
Tucked into bed, a light-skinned youngster with a mop of brown hair is almost ready to go to sleep, but something’s missing. Eyes wide, mouth agape, the child wonders, “Where’s Bearry?” The snuggly teddy is lost. Armed with a household map and magnifying glass and trailed by a pup sidekick, the tot searches high and low. “He’s not in the playroom / with my robot and blocks. / He’s not in the hamper / with all the stinky socks.” More searching comes up empty, and the increasingly distraught narrator worries, “Maybe he took a trip on the ferry? / Oh no! I’m freaking out! // WHERE’S BEARRY?!?!” Luckily, the youngster remembers to take a deep breath and count down from three. These actions help soothe the intrepid detective, and suddenly, all becomes clear. (Spoiler alert: Bearry is found.) The jaunty, singsong text trips up a bit here and there but propels the mystery forward. Flowers’ colorful art captures the wide range of emotions the youngster experiences: sadness, panic, serenity, and relief.
Relatable bedtime fare. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9780593750193
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
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