Yaccarino (If I Had a Robot, 1996, etc.) personifies the night sky as a starlit man in a bowler hat who brushes past the trees, closing flowers and calming seas in preparation for the arrival of night and a young boy's bedtime. Mr. Night closes the boy's eyes and whispers dreams; as the sun comes up, he grows tired, ``lies down just over the hill and drifts off to sleep.'' Simple forms and Matisse-like colors match the innocence of the story, told in a series of simple lines. Mushrooming shapes of color create waves of clouds, swirls of trees, and gobs of shadows that add up to a progression of expressive landscapes. Yaccarino's art is boldly stylistic, smooth and facile, boasting design and color composition as its strengths. Mr. Night's dark, star-covered shape provides contrast to each scene, as well as humor, e.g., he checks a glow-in-the-dark watch. The story would be lonely without these pictures, and takes on poignancy because of them; parents who work the lobster shift will find special meaning in these pages. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-15-201319-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1997
A young boy’s toys come to life for a nighttime trek across the bedroom in their jeep. As the father-and-son pair (wooden dollhouse figurines) travel, they pick up more and more passengers: two rabbits who leap out in front, a road crew done for the night, a farmer and his flock of sheep and a monkey whose banana car has a flat. With all that and stopping for a passing train, will they make it in time for sunrise on the mountain? While similar to the illustrator’s Tugga-Tugga Tugboat (2006) and Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo (1999), both by Kevin Lewis, the text suffers from sometimes-uneven scansion and obvious rhymes: “Wake up, sleepyhead. / Time’s a-wastin’. Out of bed.” And while Kirk’s illustrative style is much in evidence with his rich colors and up-close views of the bedroom floor, the artwork lacks the just-right details that made the previous collaborations such a hit. Fans of the other two will likely find this title’s familiarity comforting, but it just doesn't measure up. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4231-2486-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2010
Sherman is a young boy with many shoes, but not all of them fit every occasion. “Which shoes does Sherman choose / to go shelling at the shore?” A turn of the page reveals: “He wears flip-flops so his feet won’t get sore.” Sherman’s shoe collection includes skates, flippers, tennis shoes, sneakers, hiking boots, dress shoes, slippers and galoshes. Cote’s gouache-and–watercolor pencil illustrations are sure to appeal to her intended audience—Sherman is full of personality, and the situations he finds himself in are ones that readers will find either already familiar or will want to try out. All the footwear choices are illustrated on the cover and endpapers for readers’ reference. While the scansion of the rhymes is a little off at times, it remains an enjoyable book for sharing, especially useful for that stubborn childhood stage when one pair of shoes becomes a particular favorite. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: April 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25013-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Dec. 30, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2010
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