Predictable but relatable, this short adventure should lure developing readers.
Can an easily distracted young shark learn responsibility?
This second installment in the series, a spinoff from the Shark School books, opens with Harvey Hammer getting in trouble for drawing superheroes instead of listening in class. His teacher, attempting to teach him some responsibility, tasks him with caring for the class parrotfish for the weekend—though Harvey already has plans: attending his friend Flash’s party. Not only that, pets aren’t allowed in his already too-loud household. Of course Pirate the parrotfish is discovered, and though Harvey tries to put a positive spin on the situation, Pirate parrots the teacher’s words, making it clear that the weekend of pet care is a punishment for bad behavior rather than a special prize. Just as eager to teach Harvey responsibility, his parents tell him he may attend the party—if he takes Pirate. A list of characters, a glossary with pronunciation help, and reading questions help ensure comprehension. Shorter than the Shark School books, with brief chapters and a large font, this fast-moving tale reproduces many aspects of the formula that made Shark School a success, like so-bad-they’re-good puns and sibling bickering, but eliminates some, like the illustration on every spread. The wacky, black-and-white cartoons that do enliven the pages are appealing, focusing on the faces of the anthropomorphized sea creatures. It’s familiar fare, but Harvey’s predicament will strike a chord with youngsters.
Predictable but relatable, this short adventure should lure developing readers. (Chapter book. 5-8)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781534455160
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
Bank on fun with this one—it’ll rope readers in.
That bad bunny Jack is back—and he’s gone out West!
Jack and the Lady arrive at the dude ranch for a three-day stay. Slim, the gold-toothed ranch hand, immediately takes a liking to the Lady. He calls her “ma’am” and kisses her hand, which makes Jack mad. That night, a bell sounds the alarm at the bank next to the ranch. The Lady goes to investigate only to find that Slim thwarted the theft but was unable to capture the bandit. A wanted poster reveals the bandit’s long ears and scowling eyes. Could it really be Jack? Barnett and Pizzoli are in apple-pie order in this Western for emerging readers. The laugh-out-loud mystery unfolds over six chapters, breathing humor into genre tropes. With a vocabulary of around 150 words and multiple sentences per page, the text is a bit more complex than earlier series entries. The creators’ successful subversion of moralistic primers will inevitably delight readers (though grown-ups may find the moral ambiguity unsettling). Jack at Bat, which publishes simultaneously, gives Jack a chance to settle the score between rival baseball teams—provided he can follow the rules of the game. The humans in Jack Goes West predominantly present white with the exception of the Law Lady, a woman of color, but those in Jack at Bat are diverse in skin tone. As with the other books in the series, each book ends with drawing instructions.
Bank on fun with this one—it’ll rope readers in. (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-11388-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Emotionally stunning.
A young girl misses her urban home by the sea but soon discovers an unlikely friend who helps her to adjust.
After Katherena and her mom settle into their new rural home, Katherena visits the neighboring house and meets aging neighbor Agnes, an artist who works in clay. The seasons flow one into another. Katherena draws what she sees and grows ever closer to Agnes. Agnes tells Katherena about her art and about rural life; Katherena shares Cree words with Agnes. By the time it is fall, she’s helping Agnes in her garden. However, by winter, Agnes has become too weak to be outside much. Katherena and her mother make a salmon stew that Katherena takes over for Agnes and her daughter to enjoy. When spring returns again, Agnes continues to weaken, but Katherena has a plan to help her friend enjoy spring without going outside. Flett’s simple story explores the difficulties of moving but also shows young readers how new friends can sometimes ease them; that this friendship is an intergenerational one between fellow artists is an especially sweet touch. Flett (Cree/Métis) employs her characteristically minimalist style, placing Katherena against flat expanses of greensward that changes with the seasons, birds wheeling above in silhouette. Katherena and her mom both have brown skin and straight, black hair; Agnes has brown skin as well, but she does not speak Cree.
Emotionally stunning. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77164-473-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
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