Snoozeworthy.
Those wishing to cultivate a state of wakefulness would do well to avoid this book at all costs.
Glimpses of forests, meadows, lakes, farms, and seas all help to soothe restless child readers as bedtime draws near. With a balanced and fluid text, Leone draws readers into a blue-tinged nightscape where “Moths with powdery wings so soft / gently stir the air aloft.” As depicted by Engel in pleasant, digital art, stylized parent animals in a variety of landscapes tuck in their offspring and one another, first insects, then plants, birds, sea creatures, farm animals, woodland dwellers, and then a beige-skinned mother and child. The repeated line “Nature’s lullaby fills the night” rounds out every sequence. The book carefully eschews the excitement of the day for the comfort of night. Although it does its job very well, however, it feels studiedly generic, and there is little here that makes it stand out from the countless lullaby and bedtime books gone before. For nighttime fare that doesn’t sacrifice interest for sleep, consider similar nature books such as Richard Jackson and Katherine Tillotson’s All Ears, All Eyes (2017) or Rita Gray and Kenard Pak’s When the World Is Dreaming (2016). That said, as a soporific tool, this book might well lull parents and children alike into a stupor.
Snoozeworthy. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2139-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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