Appealing to kids while parents may declare the writing and story the winner, with the illustrations a distant second.
An alligator learns that friendship is more rewarding than winning in this children’s tale from writer/illustrator Shapley-Box.
Tator the Gator is feeling glum; his friends are forever winning prizes in the Applefest and, despite his best efforts to win a juggling contest or bake the best apple pie, his little house remains unadorned by any trophy or ribbon. Tator says to his friends: “I have never won a ribbon or crown. I have no talents, and I am lacking skills. I have nothing to put on my windowsills.” His friends plan to coach Tator so he can win the Applefest race. They cleverly craft running shoes for him from a tire and an old shoelace, and hold practice runs with Cabbit the Rabbit manning the stopwatch. On the day of the race, just when Tator is nearing the finish line, and it looks like he’ll have his first a taste of victory, an unexpected wrench is thrown in the works. The story adeptly deals with emotions and issues that even young children struggle with—envy, loss and loyalty, among others. Shapley-Box tells her tale in rhyming verse with a lively cadence, and some passages are spot-on Seussian. The illustrations are composed well, and some details are lovely, especially the trees, flowers and landscapes. But Shapley-Box hasn’t hit on a cohesive palette. Many pictures are a barrage of color with varying intensities of too many color families. Nevertheless, children are likely to focus on the animals, nearly all which rate high on the cute meter. And indeed, most of the characters are well rendered and have a unique charm. Unfortunately, the least appealing is Tator; his eyes are a muddy hazel color that clashes with the green of his skin, the rendering of which suggests less an alligator and more of a wrinkly, multihued cucumber.\
Appealing to kids while parents may declare the writing and story the winner, with the illustrations a distant second.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2010
ISBN: 978-0615383828
Page Count: 48
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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