Although the tone is decidedly different from her earlier work, Voigt’s writing remains masterful, and her attention...
A group of toys lives together on an island, ironing out their differences and sharing small adventures.
At the center is Teddy, a thoughtful bear who is somewhat the worse for wear (he lacks legs). He’s cared for by Umpah, an elephant who loves to bake. Their neighbors include Zia and Prinny, an apparently unrelated pair of pigs who nevertheless enjoy a warm mother-daughter relationship, Sid, an always-hungry but not-the-least-bit-threatening snake, and Peng, a standoffish wooden penguin. Newcomers who shake things up a bit are Mr. B., a stuffed rabbit who thinks of himself as “sleek and selfish and sharp” despite his cuddly appearance, and Clara, a grandly dressed, large white doll whose imperious demands create consternation. Together they explore their environment, master some useful skills, figure out how to live democratically, and eat a lot of muffins. Occasionally old-fashioned language (“Oh dear, oh dearie me” is Zia’s repeated refrain), a leisurely pace, and limited action suggest that this may be most successful as a read-aloud. The illustrations (most not seen) will likely help connect readers to the characters.
Although the tone is decidedly different from her earlier work, Voigt’s writing remains masterful, and her attention continues to be on what makes a family, how we can live together in harmony, and how individuals overcome their difficulties . (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-553-51160-4
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2016
A superficial sketch, driven far more by its worthy agenda than by any effort or evident desire to connect with real readers.
An NFL quarterback and the “Queen of Christian Fiction” (so styled by Time magazine) deliver a heaping shovelful of sugary inspiration.
Dreaming of becoming, respectively, a football player and a pilot, young classmates Alex and Bobby face obstacles. Alex is small and always is chosen last for playground kickball, and Bobby is a foster child with attendant self-esteem and poverty issues, but they overcome them with hard work and an encouraging jingle from Alex’s singing grandpa: “Go ahead and dream, / However big it seems. / Work hard, believe, / And don’t give up.” The news that grandpa has “gone to heaven” leaves both lads sad, but his memory prompts them to keep each other on the path to success, and by the time they’ve reached adulthood, guess what? Receiving nary a nod in either the blurb or Kingsbury’s afterword, Banning contributes appropriately bland, static scenes featuring realistically painted figures (Bobby has slightly darker skin than “Alex,” who closely resembles his adult namesake) with glossy skin and plastic smiles.
A superficial sketch, driven far more by its worthy agenda than by any effort or evident desire to connect with real readers. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-168625-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2013
Stolen magical artifacts! Kidnapped wizards! Assassinated queens! Earthquakes!
Two months after saving the magical kingdom Marnoch Mor in Dark Isle (2008), Morag and her friends must save it all over again. Marnoch Mor, a secret kingdom in western Scotland, has been a safe haven for magical folk for hundreds of years. Now Morag and her friends (the dragon chief constable Shona, the prissy dodo Bertie, the rat Aldiss and Henry, the talking medallion) have discovered a terrible new danger. A disused magical train starts them on their adventure (good thing they have a jar of Instant Driver—“just add water”), Aldiss warmly clad in "a neon-pink bobble hat." Though the safety of the entire magical world is at stake, Morag has more mundane concerns to confront as well: Her evil, positively Dursleyesque foster parents are still seeking her, and now that she's left Marnoch Mor, she's in constant danger. The set dressing here almost seems to come from a simpler time in children's fantasy: "tiny star-shaped elves" holding "little measuring tapes," a weepy dodo loudly blowing his beak with "a large red and white polka-dotted handkerchief." Lovers of wisecracking fairies and broody vampires will find this twee, but it has its own silly charm. (Fantasy. 8-10)
Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-385-73631-2
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2011
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