Another strong installment in the Captain No Beard series despite quieter action and the obvious educational bend.
Captain No Beard and his loyal crew hit the high seas amid tears, change, and friendship in Roman’s (Captain No Beard and the Aurora Borealis, 2014) newest pirate picture book.
When their latest ocean trip commences, Captain No Beard can’t find his loyal mate Fribbet the Frog. A team search reveals he’s hiding on the ship, crying. When his shipmates ask what’s wrong, he says he’s scared. The crew then lists assorted things he could be afraid of—the dark, snakes, loud noises, etc.—and reassure him that it’s OK to be scared. The support of friends is endearing, and the illustration of Polly Parrot with her wings around Fribbet is particularly heartwarming. The discussion between Fribbet and his friends shows that for every fear a child can have, it’s likely that his or her friends share the same concern. Being brave enough to share those worries with your friends makes them less scary. When Fribbet begins to describe the appearance of eggs in his home—eggs that hatched to become tadpoles and, by now, little frogs—Captain No Beard realizes Fribbet is merely reacting to the unknown of becoming a big brother. Captain No Beard has a strong bond with his little sister, cabin girl Cayla, which he uses to help Fribbet understand that becoming a big brother isn’t all bad. In the end, a surprise twist brings closure to Fribbet’s situation, again reassuring children that the arrival of new siblings doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Roman’s gentle soothing of typical childhood fears is warm and nurturing, creating a softer feel than in some of the other Captain No Beard stories. There’s limited adventure here, since it’s more specifically targeted toward children facing the uncertainty of new siblings. Roman does, however, add some spice in a brief science lesson on the metamorphosis of tadpoles to frogs, and, as usual, her charming illustrations light up the page with their humanity, cleverness, and bright colors. Dialogue is in Roman’s typically pirate-rich lingo, clever and quick, but overall, the story feels less like a rollicking pirate book and more like a tool for child therapy featuring an important life lesson.
Another strong installment in the Captain No Beard series despite quieter action and the obvious educational bend.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-1499145977
Page Count: 32
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A solid series starter for tinkerers and adventurers alike.
Even robot cats have a mind of their own.
All 12-year-old Canadian Lacey Chu’s ever wanted was to become a companioneer like her idol, Monica Chan, co-founder of the largest tech firm in North America, Moncha Corp., and mastermind behind the baku. Bakus, “robotic pets with all the features of a smartphone,” revolutionized society and how people interact with technology. As a companioneer, Lacey could work on bakus: designing, innovating, and building. When she receives a grant rejection from Profectus Academy of Science and Technology, a school that guarantees employment at Moncha Corp., she’s devastated. A happenstance salvaging of a mangled cat baku might just change the game. Suddenly, Lacey’s got an in with Profectus and is one step closer to her dream. Jinx, however, is not quite like the other bakus—he’s a wild cat that does things without commands. Together with Jinx, Lacey will have to navigate competitive classmates and unsettling corporate secrets. McCulloch effectively strikes a balance between worldbuilding and action. High-stakes baku battles demonstrate the emotional bond between (robotic) pet and owner. Readers will also connect to the relationships the Asian girl forges with her diverse classmates, including a rivalry with Carter (a white boy who’s the son of Moncha’s other co-founder, Eric Smith), a burgeoning crush on student Tobias, who’s black, and evolving friendships new and old. While some mysteries are solved, a cliffhanger ending raises even more for the next installment.
A solid series starter for tinkerers and adventurers alike. (Science fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4926-8374-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
We challenge anyone to read this and keep a straight face.
Four misunderstood villains endeavor to turn over a new leaf…or a new rap sheet in Blabey's frenzied romp.
As readers open the first page of this early chapter book, Mr. Wolf is right there to greet them, bemoaning his reputation. "Just because I've got BIG POINTY TEETH and RAZOR-SHARP CLAWS and I occasionally like to dress up like an OLD LADY, that doesn't mean… / … I'm a BAD GUY." To prove this very fact, Mr. Wolf enlists three equally slandered friends into the Good Guys Club: Mr. Snake (aka the Chicken Swallower), Mr. Piranha (aka the Butt Biter), and Mr. Shark (aka Jaws). After some convincing from Mr. Wolf, the foursome sets off determined to un-smirch their names (and reluctantly curbing their appetites). Although these predators find that not everyone is ready to be at the receiving end of their helpful efforts, they use all their Bad Guy know-how to manage a few hilarious good deeds. Blabey has hit the proverbial nail on the head, kissed it full on the mouth, and handed it a stick of Acme dynamite. With illustrations that startle in their manic comedy and deadpan direct address and with a narrative that follows four endearingly sardonic characters trying to push past (sometimes successfully) their fear-causing natures, this book instantly joins the classic ranks of Captain Underpants and The Stinky Cheese Man.
We challenge anyone to read this and keep a straight face. (Fiction. 7-11)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-545-91240-2
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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