An unusual alternative introduction to Poe that some readers may find inaccessible.
Dyslexia specialist and speech-language pathologist Dean offers an Edgar Allan Poe parody and biography aimed at emerging readers.
The author attempts to put a humorous spin on Poe’s famous poem “The Raven” in this illustrated work. The story opens with an unnamed male student skipping school and happening upon a “Book Stop, Pet Shop, Inn and Grill” run by a man named Ed A.P. A raven speaks to the student and invites him inside. The feathered creature then hands the student a book, and strange things begin happening; first, the young man encounters Pluto, a “demon cat” with an eye patch who frightens him. When the student tries to leave the establishment, Ed convinces him to stay and enjoy a feast. During the meal, a bug bothers the protagonist, so he grabs a pair of pans and tries to kill it; in the process, he finds a coded message. After decoding it, he and Ed embark on a search for a treasure chest; they find the treasure, but they’re interrupted by Ed’s pet orangutans. Chaos ensues, so the protagonist closes the book and retreats to his Jeep, where Ed hands him a note with a timely life lesson. The remainder of the book includes a biographical overview of Poe’s life and work and a “How to Use This Book” section for educators and parents. Weltner’s grayscale illustrationseffectively match the grim tone of Poe’s “The Raven,” and their cartoonish style will engage young readers and improve their comprehension of the text. However, the humor and craft of this offbeat parody will likely be lost on those who have yet to encounter Poe’s work. Lines such as “Grabbing brass, it went to swinging / on a lamp as it was singing. / Then the mammoth brat was slinging, / flinging hash and trash at me” may be quite challenging for readers unfamiliar with gothic poetry. The biographical information on Poe is engaging, although it touches on potentially sensitive topics, such as alcoholism, depression, and death, that might not be appropriate for younger readers.
An unusual alternative introduction to Poe that some readers may find inaccessible.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Sept. 30, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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