On the heels of Miss Spider's Tea Party (1994) comes word of the arachnid's wedding. The story of Miss Spider's courtship, her meeting of her one true love, and subsequent run-in with a smarmy would-be suitor is told in verse that has a Victorian ring. Unfortunately, the poem occasionally loses momentum and becomes hard to follow; it contains no repetitive patterns or phrases to draw readers along. But the antiquated tone adds to the secret world of the paintings. These tell the tale even without any wordsthey are suffused with warmth and encrusted with hidden visual jewels. Their bold and vibrant colors plunge readers into a dreamy, fragrant springtime, where all manner of insects and flowers mingle in a blooming world. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-590-56866-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1995
In this entry in the Ready-To-Read series, Miles retells a cumulative folktale in language that beginning readers can tackle. She opts for the rhyming versions of the characters' names: Chicken Licken, Ducky Lucky, Henny Penny, Goosey Loosey, Turkey Lurkey, and Foxy Loxy. Once Chicken Licken gets bonked on the head by a falling apple, the witless hysteria spreads right on cue, until Foxy Loxy heralds them with the real story. They decide to make an apple pie, and an apple pie song is included. It's a good bouncy story for early readers, with lots of repetition and simple rhyming for aid and encouragement. Fisher's illustrations turn the motley flock of well-meaning dimwits into quite a lovable bunch. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-689-81790-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1998
BOOK REVIEW
Flip-Flap Theatre ($15.95; Nov. 1996; 1-55858-597-4): A wordless, low-tech theatrical experience: By flipping two sets of spiral- bound half-pages (which look like mirrored sets of Dutch doors), onlookers can set the stage for a host of odd beasts, people, and fabulous creatures. The story (or stories) is in the imagination of the beholder; Rubin's baroque illustrations can be manipulated by preschoolers and more sophisticated viewers with equal pleasure. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1996
ISBN: 1-55858-597-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1996
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