Lovely, lively, and enchanting for new and veteran explorers alike.
A young girl journeys as far as her imagination can take her in search of something to bring to show and tell.
“Rose longed to be an explorer, a pioneer, a trailblazer. / Her heart was set on discovering something that had never been found… / …to bring to show-and-tell.” Her journey is a daunting one since she does not know where to find such a treasure—or even if it exists at all—but Rose has a brilliant strategy that starts with making a map with her imagination as a guide. First her hand-drawn road map takes her to the beach, then a similar sky map leads her right up through the exosphere. Next, an ocean map helps her navigate the high seas, and finally a railroad map takes her all the way to the very last train stop—all to no avail. Marcero makes excellent use of the picture book as a storytelling vehicle. Bright, open illustrations deftly capture Rose’s quest with landscapes that effortlessly dismantle the supposed opposition between the real and the imaginary. Alongside them, simple sentences move younger readers through page turns, including Rose’s maps presented in vibrant double spreads, as anticipation gently builds and delightfully resolves with Rose’s realization that her journey (and her maps!) is more than perfect for show and tell. That Rose is a girl of color simply makes the book all the sweeter.
Lovely, lively, and enchanting for new and veteran explorers alike. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-56176-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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