A bit of literary gossamer if ever there was one, the latest of the Worst-Case Scenario Handbooks offers perfunctory advice for readers unfortunate enough to be kidnapped by aliens, attacked by mummies, ghosts, vampires or zombies (“Don’t get cornered”), transported to ancient Rome or prehistoric times and like predicaments. Occasional tiny particles of actual folklore float amid the chaff and—except when they’re wrong (no, rats don’t carry plague, fleas do)—at least add traces of substance. The level of humor is relentlessly fourth grade, from “Werewolf! There wolf” to “If your friend’s bunk bed has a lid, avoid a sleepover at all costs!” Endowed with a lavender color scheme for the page borders and small cartoons that clash nicely with the chartreuse cover, this will catch the eye and likely draw a few yuks from susceptible young readers before drifting from view. (Semi-informational recreation. 8-10)
Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8118-7438-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Stagestruck Annie sees an opportunity for breaking into show biz almost everywhere she looks—even in the dairy section of the supermarket that her third-grade class visits on a field trip- -which is why she ends up dropping yogurt on the floor. Still, from her point of view, slapping her tormentor, Matthew, with a dead fish is an involuntary act. But her teacher, who doesn't see it that way, abruptly ends the class trip and gives Annie a good talking-to on the way back. Since she's in disgrace, Annie gets the part no one wants in the class play on nutrition—an artichoke. In the event, she's a pretty good one, and also levelheaded enough to save the show when Matthew forgets his lines. Then, true to form, she topples into her classmates, causing an avalanche of ``foods.'' Annie's narration has an engagingly light, deadpan humor. Good fun. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 6, 1992
ISBN: 0-671-75910-8
Page Count: 53
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1992
For shark fanciers, a look at a Los Angeles Natural History Museum exhibit, Sharks: Fact and Fantasy. Now touring the country, it includes models of large and small sharks, many of them swimming in simulated undersea settings. The text follows a group of young museum-goers as they examine shark teeth, fossil sharks, sharks in art, and a living shark embryo; shark anatomy, special adaptations, types of sharks, and some shark facts are also included. Photos are clear, colorful and engaging. Not comprehensive, but an attractive added purchase. Pronunciation guide; additional reading; index. (Nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 23, 1991
ISBN: 0-395-57560-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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