A worthwhile, eco-friendly bilingual edition.
A grandmother’s vision and instruction inspires a little girl to change the desolate look of her inner-city neighborhood by encouraging the community to plant a series of vegetable gardens.
Toña’s abuela explains how the garden she cultivated as a small girl on her own little square patch of land yielded the sweet tomatoes she loved. Together, grandmother and granddaughter walk through the neighborhood, finding lots of small, weed-filled patches next to apartment buildings or behind churches and adjacent to businesses. Father Anselmo allows them to plant a small garden in place of “the dry ugly weeds” behind the church, imagining the delicious salads and steamed vegetables it will produce. This positive example is replicated throughout the barrio, developing into “The Patchwork Garden Club.” The community’s efforts pay off when, in a few weeks, the streets are decorated with greenery and flowering plants that will soon be harvested for delicious, nutritious eating. The English-over-Spanish narrative is lengthy but accessible and pleasing. Its positive message of collaboration and cooperation is enhanced by gouache paintings that cheerily depict a recognizably Latino neighborhood.
A worthwhile, eco-friendly bilingual edition. (Picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: May 31, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-55885-763-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Piñata Books/Arte Público
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2013
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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