by Denise Lewis Patrick & illustrated by James E. Ransome ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 8, 1993
A child is so delighted with her new shoes that she dances around the neighborhood showing them off until she trips and gets them muddy, a calamity easily remedied with polish—a simple incident that makes a good showcase for a warmhearted African- American family depicted living in a comfortable suburb. The story's slight, but the unnamed little girl narrates with an engagingly enthusiastic voice that nicely conveys the magnitude of such small events in a child's imagination. There are occasional awkward transitions in Ransome's vigorous oils between his figures and their backgrounds, while the girl doesn't look as young, or as small, as the story suggests; but his characters are unusually well individualized—the children vibrant with life, the adults exuding reliability, competence, and good humor. A likable vignette. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: Jan. 8, 1993
ISBN: 0-688-10392-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1992
Share your opinion of this book
More by Denise Lewis Patrick
BOOK REVIEW
by Denise Lewis Patrick ; illustrated by Kim Holt
BOOK REVIEW
by Denise Lewis Patrick ; illustrated by Alleanna Harris
BOOK REVIEW
by Denise Lewis Patrick ; illustrated by Daniel Duncan
by Jerry Spinelli and illustrated by Jimmy Liao ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2010
A young boy wonders aloud to a rabbit friend what he will be when he grows up and imagines some outrageous choices. “Puddle stomper,” “bubble gum popper,” “mixing-bowl licker,” “baby-sis soother” are just some of the 24 inspiringly creative vocations Spinelli’s young dreamer envisions in this pithy rhymed account. Aided by Liao’s cleverly integrated full-bleed mixed-media illustrations, which radiate every hue of the rainbow, and dynamic typesetting with words that swoop and dive, the author’s perspective on this adult-inspired question yields some refreshingly child-oriented answers. Given such an irresistible array of options—“So many jobs! / They’re all such fun”—the boy in the end decides, in an exuberant double gatefold, “I’m going to choose… / EVERY ONE!”—a conclusion befitting a generation expected to have more than six careers each. Without parents or peers around to corral this carefree child’s dreams, the possibilities of being whatever one wants appear both limitless and attainable. An inspired take on a timeless question. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-316-16226-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2010
Share your opinion of this book
More by Jerry Spinelli
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
by Jerry Spinelli ; illustrated by Larry Day
BOOK REVIEW
by Eric Carle ; illustrated by Eric Carle ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 13, 2015
A picture book made to incite pleasure and joy.
The celebrated picture-book artist enthusiastically joins the nonsense tradition.
Carle’s nearly 50-year career has produced myriad concept books about counting, the alphabet, and colors, as well as simple, original stories, retellings of fairy tales, and picture books that push the physical boundaries of the form. This latest proves that Carle can reinvent himself as a creator in the field, as he now revels in the absurd, eschewing any pretense of teaching a concept or even engaging with story. Instead, spread after spread uses nonsensical text and sublimely ridiculous pictures to provoke laughter and head-shaking delight. In addition to the book’s title, art immediately cues the book’s silly tone: the cover displays one of Carle’s signature collages against an empty white background; it depicts a duckling emerging from a peeled-back banana peel. The title-page art presents a deer sprouting flowers rather than antlers from its head. When the book proper begins, and language joins illustration, readers are ushered into a series of situations and scenarios that upend expectations and play with conventions. “Ouch! Who’s that in my pouch?” asks a kangaroo with a little blond child instead of a joey in her pouch. Another scene shows two snakes, joined at the middle and looking for their respective tails.
A picture book made to incite pleasure and joy. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-399-17687-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
Share your opinion of this book
More by Eric Carle
BOOK REVIEW
edited by Eric Carle
BOOK REVIEW
edited by Eric Carle
BOOK REVIEW
by Eric Carle ; illustrated by Eric Carle
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.