Fleming creatively employs the structure of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to create a cumulative tale about the decorations for a snowman, beginning with the addition of a “red cap with a gold snap” on the first day of winter. On each subsequent day, the African-American narrator’s best friend provides something else to add to the snowman’s outfit: “2 bright blue mittens, 3 striped scarves,” and much more, right on down to “10 salty peanuts” for the snowman’s toes. Fleming uses her signature collage technique against pale gray backgrounds dotted with white snowflakes, with different animals on each page helping to add the details to the snowman. The perspectives vary until the last, wordless spread, which shows the completed snowman in a horizontal orientation that provides a satisfying conclusion. Teachers and librarians will add this volume to story times with winter or snow themes, and the clever new words to a favorite old tune might become a new winter favorite in music classrooms. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-8050-7384-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2005
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A series of rollicking riddles with unexpected answers. In the first spread, the picture on the left apparently shows a rabbit in silhouette while the short verse on the right provides the clues: “He steals carrots... / His floppy ears are long and funny. / Can you guess who? That’s right! My….” Turn the page for the answer: “Grandpa Ned.” (Ned’s upside-down, with socks half-pulled off to resemble rabbit ears.) Grandpa Ned turns up twice more, as the answer to a riddle that seems to be about a cat and later as the setup answer to another riddle. The book’s four other riddles involve a pirate, snow creatures, a mouse hole and a dark cave. A lifting flap and a gatefold add tactile interest. Rex’s straightforward gouache-and–mixed-media illustrations downplay the mischief of the premise, appropriately lobbing visual softballs at an audience disoriented by the goof on a tried-and-true formula they’ve encountered over and over. In all, it’s a refreshing (albeit slight) spoof for jaded young readers who have aced easy Q&A books; some may find it too cool for the room. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5566-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Somewhat cerebral but brimming with visual charm—and likely to spark ideas in the artistically minded.
U said it!
The diminutive lowercase letters attending Ms. Bracket’s School for Little Letters, located in New York City, embark on a “Find Yourself Field Trip” and observe letters everywhere—on signs, on T-shirts, and more. When personable U, the story’s protagonist, talks to a letter in a book at the New York Public Library, she realizes how powerful and important letters and words are; a discussion with a letter on a sculpture spelling out the word hope inspires optimism. When it’s her turn to share her field-trip experiences, U recaps her conversations and the lessons learned, namely, be yourself, or, in U’s case, be U. Her decision about who to be when she grows up should please readers, though the heavy-handed lead-up to that conclusion may confound them. The story is cute, though a bit thin, with a lofty message that may go over kids’ heads. However, the humorous, inventive illustrations are appealing, with playful use of typography and fonts; many colored images are pleasingly set against monochromatic line drawings. The adorable, exuberant student letters and teacher have spindly limbs, dots for eyes, and small, curved mouths. Ms. Bracket, who resembles a squiggly, yellow piece of pasta, wears a “hair” adornment. Children may be spurred to take part in their own creative lettering activities—collages for example. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Somewhat cerebral but brimming with visual charm—and likely to spark ideas in the artistically minded. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-38502-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2023
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