Rich illustrations, a familiar fairy-tale structure, and an upbeat message make this story a visually attractive,...
A Venetian glassmaker’s daughter resists attempts to cheer her up.
Daniela, the fair-skinned daughter of a prominent glassmaker in 16th-century Venice, is melancholy. Her concerned father offers the reward of a glass palace to the first person who can make Daniela smile. Many try, and here the narrative amiably bounces along: “Glove makers, tart bakers, trumpet players, dragon slayers” try their best, but Daniela remains glum. Enter Angelo, a fair-skinned young glassmaker who fashions a looking glass—something Daniela has never before encountered. He presents it to her, and as she looks into it, she sees a frowning face. She smiles, and the mirror smiles, then she laughs and the mirror laughs. Soon all of Venice is laughing along with Daniela’s laugh. Hofmeyr’s narrative conforms to the familiar, rescue-the-princess fairy-tale theme, but the addition of the looking glass lends it originality, and its ultimate message, that happiness lies within, is empowering if overt. An introductory note conveys information about historic Venetian glassmaking and the popularity of wearing decorative masks in Venice—facts that add considerable interest. Ray’s luxuriant-looking, well-designed illustrations in gouache, watercolor, and ink evoke a lush, multiracial Venice.
Rich illustrations, a familiar fairy-tale structure, and an upbeat message make this story a visually attractive, comfortable read. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-84780-676-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
Skip.
A compact survey of world myths and legends.
Explaining that “myths are stories people used to tell to explain things they didn’t understand about their history, nature, or the world around them” and that “legends may once have been based on truth” but “have become fabulous fantasies,” Lawrence presents a smattering of notable characters and tales. The Greeks get a fair amount of attention, with the stories of Heracles, Theseus, Jason, and Pandora each afforded a double-page spread. As the book is quite small (5 ¾ inches high by 7 ½ inches across), that’s just a few sentences each. Other characters are grouped thematically (Robin Hood, Sun Wukong, Finn McCool, and Kintaro are “heroes”; Baba Yaga, Baron Samedi, Medusa, and Set are “the bad guys”). Although it’s clear Lawrence has worked not to limit herself to European mythology, her efforts at inclusivity are ham-handed at best. Next to a picture that looks suspiciously like Disney’s Pocahontas is a brief blurb on the generic “Native American spirit Sky Woman” (printed in black ink on dark-purple paper, so many readers may skip this anyway). Stories from extant cosmologies are presented alongside dead ones with no explanation, so readers who don’t know better may come away thinking Hinduism is as passé as the Norse pantheon, for instance. Equally troubling, stories and figures from the Abrahamic traditions are entirely absent, setting up a false opposition among belief systems.
Skip. (Nonfiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-944530-11-2
Page Count: 72
Publisher: 360 Degrees
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
For young architects and kids interested in learning about the world.
An Asian boy on a skateboard describes a variety of domiciles.
Inside the contemporary house the child’s family (also Asian) lives in, family members are seen eating, sleeping, studying, watching TV (with retro rabbit ears), and talking on a wall phone, a mixture of details that may evoke the childhood of the author or illustrator. The narrator then takes off in an old-fashioned plane to describe houses in Thailand, Togo, Mongolia, Russia, and Greenland. Exteriors and interiors of the five houses appear in double-page spreads with explanatory text (in a small font) about materials, styles, and construction details embedded within the illustrations; each includes a family and its appropriate animals. The main text (in a large font) is simple and sometimes-awkward: “There are houses wherever people live. Even though houses have different appearances in every country, each one is someone’s precious home.” The explanatory text is a little more advanced and generally flows better. The choice of unusual houses, especially the felt gers of Mongolia and the clay houses of Togo, offers young readers a chance to explore aspects of everyday life in several countries. Refreshingly, the book takes care to emphasize that the Inuit of Greenland live in “wooden or brick houses,” and that igloos are temporary shelters used on hunting trips. The naïve illustrative style is eye-catching and friendly, and the photos in the back endpapers are a useful addition.
For young architects and kids interested in learning about the world. (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-939248-19-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: TanTan
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017
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