A fresh look at some old expressions, using dogs of all ages to teach some new tricks.
Twenty-one different dogs illustrate a variety of familiar idiomatic expressions about dogs.
High-quality photographs present one or more canines modeling with appropriate props to demonstrate such well-known phrases as “raining cats and dogs” or “like a dog with a bone.” The text is set in huge, attractive capital letters, usually with some interesting, thoughtful design flourish. Most of these expressions won’t be familiar yet to younger children, though all of the phrases are well-known to adults. There’s a bulldog (jowls caught midshake) in a wading pool to illustrate “the dog days of summer,” a tiny Yorkie on horseback for “dog and pony show,” and a huge Great Dane taking a drink out of a toilet for “dirty dog.” A pair of adorable Cavalier King Charles spaniels “sleep like a dog” in a nighttime scene complete with a cozy bed and blankets. Two concluding spreads offer thumbnail photographs of each dog with its name and breed and one or two sentences about its real life. These thumbnails are thoughtfully laid out in their exact order within the book, making flipping back to revisit each dog easy and fun. This winning combination of photographs and simple text has potential for use in the classroom for upper elementary through high school students to teach literary devices.
A fresh look at some old expressions, using dogs of all ages to teach some new tricks. (Picture book. 4 & up)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4521-5134-2
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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BOOK REVIEW
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