PLB 0-06-028362-9 Ross reduces a topic as enigmatic and multi-faceted as friendship to didacticism and platitudes. “Friends come in all different sizes and shapes and colors,” the text intones; friends can be big and small, new and old, best and imaginary. The things Ross suggests pals do together—take new experiences, confide troubles, have an adventure, share—will hardly be news to children, and becomes somewhat bald in these pages. The asides are worse: “It’s not the size of your friends that counts. It is the size of your heart” and “It doesn’t matter how many friends you have. . . . It’s quality, not quantity, that counts!” Some people won’t mind the presentation; the bestseller lists are full of such volumes as Ross and Rader’s A Book of Hugs; still, most children will want to dodge the finger-wagging. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: April 30, 1999
ISBN: 0-06-028170-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
That Bynum comes up with so many lines to rhyme with “Altoona Baboona” deserves some kind of acclaim, even if the rhymes make readers laugh and groan at the same time. Altoona Baboona is an ape that “gets bored on her dune-a,” hops a “hot air balloon-a” and goes south to “Calcun-a.” On her hot air travels Altoona meets up with a loon-a and a racoon-a, who come back to the dune-a for an evening bonfire and roasted marshmallows. Bynum’s watercolors have a breezy ocean air feel to them, as light and buoyant as her simian heroine. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201860-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
PLB 0-7358-1050-8 This tale of sudden riches from Falda (The Angel and the Child, 1995, etc.) examines the true meaning of friendship. When Owl sees Squirrel unearth a treasure chest, he quickly notifies the other forest creatures. Together, Rabbit, Mole, Badger, and Bear try to envision the contents of the chest. Falda whimsically describes the creatures’ dearest desires—from carrots for Rabbit to glasses for Mole. Owl disdainfully discounts these fanciful notions, informing the animals that treasure chests are always full of gold and other riches. He also believes that such riches are certain to alter Squirrel, as wealth has often led to the demise of friendships. Alarmed, the animals rush off to discover Squirrel’s intentions; Squirrel has converted his treasure trove of seeds and nuts into a cake for all of his friends. Falda prevents sentiment from overwhelming the charming forest setting and the cast of imaginative, endearing friends. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7358-1049-4
Page Count: 26
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
