Feathers fly and beaks are askew in this peppy continuation of a fun series.
The misnomered, mail-delivering mouse returns to thwart nefarious dealings in the most ridiculous of ways.
Having recovered from adventures related to a prankster co-worker, Marty Moose (so named because of an unfortunate ink blot on his birth certificate) is ready to enjoy his day off. And what better way to relax than to attend the Annual Little Ditch Fastest Feathers Race, where birds compete for a solid gold egg? But what’s this? Celebrity judge Hurricane Honk missed the delivery of the prize, and unless Marty can retrieve it, the winners won’t have anything to win! What starts as a simple job turns into a nightmare when two sneaky ferrets attempt to purloin the prize for themselves. Now Marty and his rabbit buddy Nibbles Frizzby find themselves accidentally running the race, dodging a pair of “dastardly ducks,” dipping into caverns full of stolen goods, and trying to reach the end without getting gobbled or pummeled along the way. Though he experiences moments of doubt, it’s Marty’s smarts that win the day by story’s end, and the good-natured cacophony of chaos snowballs nicely. Line art in pinks and reds add to the pleasure of the hijinks, keeping young readers guessing as to what may happen next.
Feathers fly and beaks are askew in this peppy continuation of a fun series. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: today
ISBN: 9781536247817
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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