The poetry shines in this collection that’s both imaginative and fun to read aloud.
A collection of six illustrated poems by teacher and musician Combs.
The book transforms common childhood experiences and life lessons into whimsical adventures. “The Bear Next to Me” restores order to a frightened young girl who is surprised in the night by what she thinks is a bear. “Where the Tooth Bumps Go” explains the texture of newly cut adult teeth (“The tooth fairy’s partner / has a degree / In the fine art / of Bumpology”) and also shows what a pickle has in common with a brown toad. Combs offers a few twists when she champions the kids who don’t think the great outdoors are so great in “Not Everyone Likes To Go To Camp” and addresses “The Problem with Giants” for young feminists who would like to see more lady giants in stories. In constructing her poetry, Combs puts her master’s degree in music performance to good use. With a galloping rhythm that’s reminiscent of “Paul Revere’s Ride,” the poetry practically sings. “What’s a Diddle?” is light on its feet in pursuit of mysterious pranksters: “If checkers / are jumping / and game boards / are thumping, / You / might / shoo / rude diddles outdoors!” The illustrations combine brush, pen, ink, colored pencil and graphite in a style that could be tacked to a board in an elementary school classroom. Largely black and white, the occasional splash of color added to the illustrations gives the pictures an unfinished look, like a neglected coloring book, most noticeably in “Not Everyone Likes to Go to Camp.” The gadgets and flying machines in “What’s a Diddle?” are nicely detailed, as are the giants in “The Problem with Giants.” The best illustrations feature a silly crocodile named “Crocodilly” who poses for photos in a variety of costumes and exotic locations where the pictures push the narrative beyond the text.
The poetry shines in this collection that’s both imaginative and fun to read aloud.Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-935631-04-0
Page Count: 126
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A festive invitation to creative liberation.
A pleasingly tactile exploration of the possibilities inherent in mistakes.
"A torn piece of paper... / is just the beginning!" Spills, folded paper, drips of paint, smudges and smears—they "all can make magic appear." An increasingly complex series of scenarios celebrates random accidents, encouraging artistic experimentation rather than discouragement. The folded-over paper can be a penguin's head; a torn piece of newsprint can turn into a smiling dog with a little application of paint; a hot-chocolate stain can become a bog for a frog. Thanks to a telescoping pop-up, a hole is filled with nearly limitless possibilities. The interactive elements work beautifully with the photo-collaged "mistakes," never overwhelming the intent with showiness. Saltzberg's trademark cartoon animals provide a sweetly childlike counterpoint to the artful scribbles and smears of gloppy paint.
A festive invitation to creative liberation. (Pop-up. 4-12)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7611-5728-1
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2010
This genuinely clever math book uses rhyming couplets and riddles, as well as visual cues to help the reader find new ways to group numbers for quick counting. It’s a return to number sets, with none of those boring parentheses and <>signs. Here the rhyme gives a clue to the new ways of grouping numbers. For example: “Mama mia, pizza pie, / How many mushrooms do you spy? / Please don’t count them, it’s too slow, / This hot pie was made to go! / Let me give you some advice, / Just do half and count it twice.” A quick look at the pizza, and the reader can see each slice has the same number of mushrooms. Count by threes for half the pie, and double it. Each rhyme is given a double-page spread. The extra-large, brightly colored images leap off the page but never distract from the author’s intent. Some riddles are very challenging, but the author provides all the solutions in the back. Once the reader has seen the answers, the strategy is obvious and can be applied to other situations. Great fun for math enthusiasts and creative thinkers, this might also teach adults some new tricks. A winning addition. (Nonfiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-439-21033-X
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2000
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