A sound value taught in an engaging format amid many ninja kicks and chops.
Six tiny ninjas take a field trip to a farm.
The tykes with a penchant for roundhouse kicks (isn’t that all children?) from Dojo Daycare (2014) are back. This time, they have hopped on a bus with Master to visit a farm. The trip starts off well, but suddenly Master slips on a banana peel—“YIKES! YEE-OW!”—and lands straight in the pig’s trough. The tiny ninjas scamper off, forgetting their creed: “Always help someone in need.” Poor Master next faces an angry bull, then a spooked horse, which drags him through the mud. After a desperate plea to “SAVE ME, NINJAS!” the ninjas are finally reminded of their duty to help. “With their Master safe and sound, / The little ninjas zip around. / They feed the sow, they milk the cow, / And give the field a ninja plow” (with one quick chop—using their hands and feet, of course). All seems calm until the ride home. But one particular animal from the farm stows away on the bus (a hint is in the rearview mirror) and causes the mayhem to start again: “YIKES! YEE-OW!” These black-masked little ones may not have mastered the art of stealth, but they do have a lot of heart.
A sound value taught in an engaging format amid many ninja kicks and chops. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-77147-142-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun.
Heling and Hembrook’s clever conceit challenges children to analyze a small town’s clotheslines to guess the job each of their owners does.
Close-up on the clothesline: “Uniform and cap, / an invite for you. / Big bag of letters. / What job does she do?” A turn of the page reveals a macro view of the home, van and the woman doing her job, “She is a mail carrier.” Indeed, she can be spotted throughout the book delivering invitations to all the rest of the characters, who gather at the end for a “Launch Party.” The verses’ rhymes are spot-on, though the rhythm falters a couple of times. The authors nicely mix up the gender stereotypes often associated with several of these occupations, making the carpenter, firefighter and astronaut women. But while Davies keeps uniforms and props pretty neutral (he even avoids U.S. mail symbols), he keeps to the stereotypes that allow young readers to easily identify occupations—the farmer chews on a stalk of wheat; the beret-wearing artist sports a curly mustache. A subdued palette and plain white backgrounds keep kids’ focus on the clothing clues. Still, there are plenty of details to absorb—the cat with arched back that anticipates a spray of water, the firefighter who “lights” the rocket.
Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-58089-251-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Egg-stra special.
The creators of Pick a Pine Tree (2017) and Pick a Pumpkin (2019) cover each step of a popular Easter tradition.
The first stop for a light-skinned caregiver and child is the farm. Peering into the henhouse, they spot an egg (reminding readers that eggs don’t originate at the grocery store). More eggs are collected throughout the spring countryside and brought home, ready to hard boil. While the eggs are cooling, it’s time to prepare the dye! The lively text highlights natural methods first (“Stew some plants / to make a brew: / beets turn eggs / a rosy hue. / Spinach? Green! / Berries? Blue! / Try some herbs / or spices, too”) but also gives a nod to store-bought kits. After a full day of egg decorating, the youngster wakes up the next morning for a festive neighborhood egg hunt. Happily, treats found inside plastic eggs are not limited to sugar only; they include secret notes, tiny toys, and coins, too. (The child adds their dyed eggs to this bounty.) Sprays of bright greens, a shining sun, and dotted buds on trees as well as pastel bunting and fuzzy bunny ears and flower crowns on little ones bring a light, airy lift to this joyful community gathering. The children involved in the egg hunt are diverse in skin tone. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Egg-stra special. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5362-2847-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
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