A hippopotamus escapes from a zoo in this fable from Spain.
Hippo Mister H prevails on schoolgirl Rosanna to liberate him from his enclosure, declaring that “Being in this place is what’s against the law, the Law of Nature.” Once she accedes, she quickly fades from the narrative, which follows Mister H as he placidly proceeds through the zoo, determinedly overlooked by passersby who choose not to notice the extraordinary. Those who do notice him do so with blinkered literalness, such as the gardener who helps them through the zoo’s turnstile while lecturing him about overeating. His progress through the surrounding city goes similarly unremarked, until a kind server at Porcupine Pizza forgives his colossal bill (though he has acquired clothing in the illustrations, he has no money). Lozano’s gouache illustrations, both full-page and vignettes, recall the stylings of such mid-20th-century masters as M. Sasek. Most children will find themselves frustrated by the elliptical, inconclusive end, which finds Mister H walking off into the darkness “with the hope that someone would guide him to his home” in Africa. But those attuned to tone may let the wry whimsy carry them, and even if they aren’t entirely sure what Mister H’s quest is, they may find themselves regarding the easy truisms of the adult world with a knowing eye.
Mister H may be inscrutable, but once readers notice him, they will find him hard to forget. (Fantasy. 7-10)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5440-7
Page Count: 61
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2014
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS
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After a tsunami devastates their habitat in the Salish Sea, a young orca and her brother embark on a remarkable adventure.
Vega’s matriarchal family expects her to become a hunter and wayfinder, with her younger brother, Deneb, protecting and supporting her. Invited to guide her family to their Gathering Place to hunt salmon, Vega’s underwater miscalculations endanger them all, and an embarrassed Vega questions whether she should be a wayfinder. When the baby sister she hoped would become her life companion is stillborn, a distraught Vega carries the baby away to a special resting place, shocking her grieving family. Dispatched to find his missing sister, Deneb locates Vega in the midst of a terrible tsunami. To escape the waters polluted by shattered boats, Vega leads Deneb into unfamiliar open sea. Alone and hungry, the young siblings encounter a spectacular giant whale and travel briefly with shark-hunting orcas. Trusting her instincts and gaining emotional strength from contemplating the vastness of the sky, Vega knows she must lead her brother home and help save her surviving family. In alternating first-person voices, Vega and Deneb tell their harrowing story, engaging young readers while educating them about the marine ecosystem. Realistic black-and-white illustrations enhance the maritime setting.
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale. (maps, wildlife facts, tribes of the Salish Sea watershed, environmental and geographical information, how to help orcas, author’s note, artist’s note, resources) (Animal fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-299592-6
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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