A Christian tale of the bond between humans and animals with thoughtful prose.
A woman and her pet parakeet learn the value of their connection in this dramatic, faith-centered children’s book.
Munchie is a parakeet who lives with Grandmommie, an older woman whom he adores and who loves him dearly. Despite their affectionate relationship, Munchie does find himself yearning to be free outdoors, and has escaped from his cage several times. He especially admires blue jays, birds he considers cool, confident, and beautiful. One day, Grandmommie decides to treat Munchie by bringing him outside in his cage while she gets some gardening work done. While she has her back turned, the neighborhood cat decides to cause some mischief by knocking over Munchie’s cage and freeing the bird, who immediately takes to the skies. Grandmommie is beside herself with grief and guilt, and begins to search for Munchie, to no avail. The next day, she sees him outside on a telephone wire amid a group of the blue jays he reveres. He flies off before she is able to recapture him, convinced that freedom is better than captivity. While Grandmommie is away tending to some neighbors, a fierce thunderstorm persuades Munchie that he is not ready to live outdoors after all. He gets Grandmommie’s attention from the window and immediately flies back indoors, appreciating the goodness in his life. This enjoyable tale is richly illustrated with bright, digitally rendered artwork by Honasan. Grandmommie displays a deep Christian faith, and much of the time she is praying for guidance or thanking God. The premise is not very original, but Barr’s prose is engaging: “Hiding beneath an overgrowth of ivy covered bushes, an unseen presence, dark and sinister, watched and waited for the perfect opportunity.”
A Christian tale of the bond between humans and animals with thoughtful prose.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-973670-60-5
Page Count: 74
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: April 22, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Standard issue browsing fodder, likely to sink quickly out of sight through overall mediocrity.
Quick takes on selected denizens of the deep (and not so deep), illustrated with a mix of nature photos and brightly colored painted portraits.
Catering not so much to younger independent readers as to those with short attention spans, a smattering of double-page spreads introduces creatures from the octopus (“Undersea Brainboxes” with the ability to get into, and even out of, screw-top jars) to the Mekong giant catfish (“big as a tiger”) while focusing on particular animal talents—such as camouflage, special senses, or tool using. Aside from the low page count, nothing about this book or its companions stands out. Portolano’s images are unexceptional, but they at least fill gaps in the stingy assortment of stock photos, and along with chatty general commentary, Farndon occasionally dishes up some uncommon tidbits, such as the way sharks will display “tonic immobility” (i.e., play dead) or the pearlfish’s habit of taking up residence in a sea cucumber’s anus. Series companions Amazing Land Animals, Incredible Bugs, and Remarkable Birds take the same browser-friendly approach. And for the most part, the content in all is anchored, however tenuously, in fact.
Standard issue browsing fodder, likely to sink quickly out of sight through overall mediocrity. (Nonfiction. 8-9)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5124-0625-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Hungry Tomato/Lerner
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Turns out, a short, furry knight in shining armor is the hero we all deserve.
An adventure-adverse feline and his fearless sidekick are transported to the days of knights and chivalry.
It’s not easy being a wizard’s cat. Murray the kitty would be perfectly content sleeping and eating his days away, but unfortunately he belongs to the “rubbish” wizard Fumblethumb, who has accidentally cast a spell on Murray’s cat flap. After Fumblethumb mistakenly turns a delicious frosted bun into a perky bunny (named Bun, appropriately), Bun and Murray make their way through the flap and find themselves transported from their ordinary suburban town to a medieval castle. There, they learn that Princess Rubytoes has fallen for the local gardener, Muddy Mick. Alas, their love is threatened by the devious Sir Nasty, who’s determined to marry Rubytoes and, assuming Murray’s here to court the princess, promptly challenges the cat to a joust. Will Murray, with Bun in tow, defeat the villain and aid the princess? This early chapter book has a distinctly British sensibility that charms with ease. Murray is 100% cat from tip to toe (his preferences run to “snoozing, napping, and sleeping”), yet he’s more than willing to help those in need. Bun’s the perfect foil for Murray, literally bouncing off walls in his eagerness to assist. Delightful line art highlights the jokes and oozes utter cuteness. All human characters are light-skinned.
Turns out, a short, furry knight in shining armor is the hero we all deserve. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9798217031016
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
