An even-keeled offering about sibling bonds and a spectacular visual of human connection to the natural world yaws off...
“In the far, far north,” Cuno and Aia seek out an animal with “a heart as big as a boat.”
After his father tells a story one night, Cuno spends days ignoring his little sister to scan the Arctic waters in hopes of seeing a whale. “The big beast” even occupies his dreams. Captivated by the puzzle of how a whale can “be so large and never be seen,” Cuno sneaks away, taking his father’s kayak into open water to “find the whale on his own.” Annoyed when he discovers tag-along Aia hiding in the hull, Cuno banishes her to the stern. As their journey continues, Cuno’s frustration with Aia grows. Only when the two suddenly become separated does Cuno show he cares. But it takes “a huge, kind heart” of a different type to reunite them and return them home. Readers aware of Indigenous Arctic peoples will notice characters wear parka-style attire, have brown-skinned faces, and search for the whale using an Inuit kayak and paddle. While modernist illustrations echo the stark Arctic setting and cinematic perspectives enhance tensions, the British author/illustrator and his German publisher exclude mention of Indigenous cultural specifics in a tale that has a folkloric feel, leaving readers adrift.
An even-keeled offering about sibling bonds and a spectacular visual of human connection to the natural world yaws off course. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-3-89955-816-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little Gestalten
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2018
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The visual details invite interaction, making it a good choice for storytime or solo inspection.
It’s a quiet day, until….
“I have a bot!” An excited child’s happiness is short-lived, for the remote-controlled toy escapes its wireless tether and begins an ascent up the side of a skyscraper. The building’s doorman launches a race to recover the bot, and soon everyone wants to help. Attempts to retrieve the bot, which is rendered as a red rectangle with a propeller, arms, and a rudimentary face, go from the mundanity of a broom to the absurd—a bright orange beehive hairdo and a person-sized Venus’ flytrap are just some of the silly implements the building’s occupants use to try to rein in the bot. Each double-page spread reveals another level of the building—and further visual hijinks—as the bot makes its way to the top, where an unexpected hero waits (keep an eye out for falling bananas). The tall, narrow trim size echoes the shape of the skyscraper, providing a sense of height as the bot rises. Text is minimal; short declarations in tidy black dialogue bubbles with white courier-style typeface leave the primary-colored, blocky art to effectively carry the story. Facial expressions—both human and bot—are comically spot-on. The bot-owning child has light skin, and there are several people of color among those trying to rescue the bot. One person wears a kufi.
The visual details invite interaction, making it a good choice for storytime or solo inspection. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: July 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-425-28881-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
PERSPECTIVES
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