From Rylant (Dog Heaven, p. 951, etc.), a fourth pairing of good-natured Mr. Putter and sidekick Tabby. The old cat has a cranky tail that's too stiff to swish and the old man has cranky legs that can't get up a ladder. Unable to get to his juicy pears for some yearned-for pear jelly, Mr. Putter rigs a slingshot out of underwear elastic and``ZING!!!!!''fires off a fallen apple. Instead of knocking a pear off the tree, it whizzes over his rooftop and out of sight. Delighted with his ``jiffy arms,'' Mr. Putter forgets all about the pears, and zings into the night. The next day, neighborly Mrs. Teaberry reaps an unexpected bounty (``I don't even have an apple tree!'') and surprises Mr. Putter with feast of apple preparations. A funny, easy-going beginning reader, with quirky, always affectionate, cartoons. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-15-200245-6
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1995
In a companion book to Brett's The Mitten (1989), a little girl decides to unpack her winter woolens from their decorated chest and hang them out on a line to air before winter comes. The format is the same as that of the first book, with a large main illustration on each page and window frames showing other action occurring at the same time. A curious hedgehog puts his head into a fallen stocking, and—because of his prickles—can't get unstuck. Hedgie encounters other animals, each of whom wants to know about the stuck sock; the hedgehog gives several reasons for its presence: It's a beautiful hat, it will keep him dry, it will keep his ears warm, etc. Each animal runs off with a mission—culling clothes from the line to wear. Throughout, the girl reads, watches out the window, spies the entangled hedgehog, frees him, and tells him that animals don't wear clothes. The satisfying story celebrates the cozy hearth, home, and barnyard of picturesque Scandinavian country life, frozen in time. Brett's somber tones of pre-winter are enlivened by the intricate, colorful clothing; her fine, independent heroine is in charge of the story, and the inventive little hedgehog triumphs as well. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 29, 1997
ISBN: 0-399-23101-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For fans of Evert and Breiehagen’s Wish Book series.
Anja and her dog, Birki, do their best to get to a Christmas party in a frozen Nordic landscape.
Anja wishes she had a dog sled to harness Birki to in order to get to the party. The next morning, her cousin Erik appears with his dog sled and an offer to take her there. Lost in a blizzard, they encounter talking wolves who take them to a tent where they can spend the night. A baby polar bear named Tiny appears, separated from his mother. The following day takes them all on an adventure through glaciers and fjords, past an ice castle, and finally to Tiny’s mother and to the party. This digitally produced book is illustrated with photographs that capture the Nordic setting. Unfortunately, the overall effect is weirdly flat, with elements awkwardly set together in images that lack depth. A polar bear perches awkwardly on top of oddly scaled pack ice; Anja and Erik spend a night in the ice castle in niches chiseled into the wall, but they seem oddly disconnected from it. The book has an old-fashioned, European feel; the white, blond children’s red caps and traditional clothing stand out against the dim, bluish winter light. But the wooden, overlong text does little to cultivate the magical fantasy feeling that it’s aiming for.
For fans of Evert and Breiehagen’s Wish Book series. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-6566-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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