by Calista Brill ; illustrated by Kenard Pak ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 24, 2018
A gentle, feel-good feline fantasy.
A skeptical cat who disavows wishes finds himself pleasantly surprised.
Hungry and alone in a “windy wood,” Cat wishes for something to eat. When he catches a snake, the snake makes a bargain. If Cat spares his life, the snake will grant Cat’s wish. Cat replies, “No such thing as a wish,” but he releases the snake anyway. Wiggling away, the snake promises Cat three wishes. Still hungry and unconvinced, Cat wishes for a Fish—and his wish is granted. As it starts to rain, Cat’s wet and still unconvinced, but he wishes for a house. Soon Cat’s curled up before the fireplace in “his very own house.” Waking up alone in the dark house, Cat still pooh-poohs wishing, but nevertheless, he wishes for a friend—with unexpected results. The spare text relies on clever placement of onomatopoeic words such as “rustle,” “pad,” “splash,” “burp,” “plop,” “sniff,” and “shuff,” to effectively convey Cat’s sensory world. Soft-edged illustrations in pale watercolor washes and digital media visually portray Cat’s environment, emphasizing his solitary condition as he stalks, crouches, coils, pounces, pads, and runs on “whisper feet” across the atmospheric double-page spreads. His expressive face and body tell their own story.
A gentle, feel-good feline fantasy. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 24, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-61055-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
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by Calista Brill ; illustrated by Tad Carpenter
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Steve Jenkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2014
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Alexander Vidal
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Lisa Congdon
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Diana Sudyka
by Greg Pizzoli ; illustrated by Greg Pizzoli ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2019
There’s nothing especially new here, but the good-natured celebration of books, reading, and libraries will charm fellow...
A porcine hoarder of books learns to read—and to share.
The Book Hog’s obsession is clear from the start. Short declarative sentences describe his enthusiasm (“The Book Hog loved books”), catalog the things he likes about the printed page, and eventually reveal his embarrassing secret (“He didn’t know how to read”). While the text is straightforward, plenty of amusing visual details will entertain young listeners. A picture of the Book Hog thumbing through a book while seated on the toilet should induce some giggles. The allusive name of a local bookshop (“Wilbur’s”) as well as the covers of a variety of familiar and much-loved books (including some of the author’s own) offer plenty to pore over. And the fact that the titles become legible only after our hero learns to read is a particularly nice touch. A combination of vignettes, single-page illustrations and double-page spreads that feature Pizzoli’s characteristic style—heavy black outlines, a limited palette of mostly salmon and mint green, and simple shapes—move the plot along briskly. Librarians will appreciate the positive portrayal of Miss Olive, an elephant who welcomes the Book Hog warmly to storytime, though it’s unlikely most will be able to match her superlative level of service.
There’s nothing especially new here, but the good-natured celebration of books, reading, and libraries will charm fellow bibliophiles, and the author’s fans will enjoy making another anthropomorphic animal friend. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-03689-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
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by Pauline Thompson ; illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
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by Greg Pizzoli ; illustrated by Greg Pizzoli
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