This enchanting book will leave readers contemplating their own wishes and the deeper meaning behind them.
Be careful what you wish for: In this fast-paced, lightly magical read, fifth graders Bug, Zoe, Casey, and Billy each receive two wishes.
In four parallel short stories set in what appears to be the same neighborhood, each character receives two pieces of tissue paper, each representing a single wish. Bug asks for material items but later discovers greater joy in sharing and helping others. Zoe initially wants her parents to stop their “Ugly Fighting” and ultimately makes a wish that declares a positive hope for her family. Casey desires a dog and also wishes for her mom to open her heart. Billy impulsively asks for a unicorn—and then must figure out what to do with it. Each story explores the balance between selfishness and selflessness. A cautionary moral lesson lies at the heart of these narratives, with the characters’ inner conflicts and social-emotional learning adding depth and captivating interest. As the stories progress, they become more philosophical and abstract, highlighting the transformative impact of connecting with other people and animals. The characters’ lives encompass various family configurations and living situations, enhancing the book’s appeal. Newbery-winning author Voigt skillfully weaves modern-day fairy tales that will resonate with readers, imparting timeless lessons about what truly matters in life. Kaulitzki’s spot art adds a sweet and whimsical touch. The characters are minimally described and largely present white.
This enchanting book will leave readers contemplating their own wishes and the deeper meaning behind them. (Fantasy. 7-11)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780062996923
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2024
We challenge anyone to read this and keep a straight face.
Four misunderstood villains endeavor to turn over a new leaf…or a new rap sheet in Blabey's frenzied romp.
As readers open the first page of this early chapter book, Mr. Wolf is right there to greet them, bemoaning his reputation. "Just because I've got BIG POINTY TEETH and RAZOR-SHARP CLAWS and I occasionally like to dress up like an OLD LADY, that doesn't mean… / … I'm a BAD GUY." To prove this very fact, Mr. Wolf enlists three equally slandered friends into the Good Guys Club: Mr. Snake (aka the Chicken Swallower), Mr. Piranha (aka the Butt Biter), and Mr. Shark (aka Jaws). After some convincing from Mr. Wolf, the foursome sets off determined to un-smirch their names (and reluctantly curbing their appetites). Although these predators find that not everyone is ready to be at the receiving end of their helpful efforts, they use all their Bad Guy know-how to manage a few hilarious good deeds. Blabey has hit the proverbial nail on the head, kissed it full on the mouth, and handed it a stick of Acme dynamite. With illustrations that startle in their manic comedy and deadpan direct address and with a narrative that follows four endearingly sardonic characters trying to push past (sometimes successfully) their fear-causing natures, this book instantly joins the classic ranks of Captain Underpants and The Stinky Cheese Man.
We challenge anyone to read this and keep a straight face. (Fiction. 7-11)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-545-91240-2
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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BOOK REVIEW
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Another winner from Mills, equally well suited to reading aloud and independent reading.
When Franklin School principal Mr. Boone announces a pet-show fundraiser, white third-grader Cody—whose lack of skill and interest in academics is matched by keen enthusiasm for and knowledge of animals—discovers his time to shine.
As with other books in this series, the children and adults are believable and well-rounded. Even the dialogue is natural—no small feat for a text easily accessible to intermediate readers. Character growth occurs, organically and believably. Students occasionally, humorously, show annoyance with teachers: “He made mad squinty eyes at Mrs. Molina, which fortunately she didn’t see.” Readers will be kept entertained by Cody’s various problems and the eventual solutions. His problems include needing to raise $10 to enter one of his nine pets in the show (he really wants to enter all of them), his troublesome dog Angus—“a dog who ate homework—actually, who ate everything and then threw up afterward”—struggles with homework, and grappling with his best friend’s apparently uncaring behavior toward a squirrel. Serious values and issues are explored with a light touch. The cheery pencil illustrations show the school’s racially diverse population as well as the memorable image of Mr. Boone wearing an elephant costume. A minor oddity: why does a child so immersed in animal facts call his male chicken a rooster but his female chickens chickens?
Another winner from Mills, equally well suited to reading aloud and independent reading. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: June 14, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-374-30223-8
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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