Another flawed attempt to deal with children's concerns about the homeless. Like Karen Barbour in Mr. Bow Tie (1991), Gottlieb uses flamboyant color and arrestingly bold design in illustrations that also exhibit an appealing tenderness. The child here is more aware of possibilities (``Maybe he has no money. Maybe he doesn't want any money. Maybe he'd like my money. Maybe he has lots of money''), and nothing really changes—which is far more realistic than Barbour's saccharine conclusion. It's the middle that's weak here: wondering what Willie's story is, the narrator imagines him journeying around the world as a baby, losing an eye when a friendly lion scratches him by mistake, being given his embroidered slippers by a Chinese monkey, his coat by a seal (?!), and so on. This imaginary story is childlike, but it doesn't advance understanding of Willie's plight, and the implicit conclusion—that speculation is fruitless and could be unkind—is disturbingly at odds with the elaborate fantasy, which takes up more than half the book. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-679-82449-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1992
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
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