To country mouse Madeleine and Oxford-bred Marcus Aurelius there is born a giant, ravenous baby, whom they wisely/learnedly name Magnus. Fed, in desperation, the Porker Pills unlettered Madeleine inadvertently ate when she was pregnant, Magnus grows bigger, more demanding ("More, Mummy! More! More!")—a trial to his meek, magniloquent father, a worry to his loving and practical mother. With the Porker Pills used up, and fierce Magnus in danger at loose, the two appeal to farmer-fed rabbit Roland—who fancies being called "Uncle" by "the little fellow," then greets word of his giantism with "How perfectly splendid!" The three are ecstatic at Magnus' triumph over a "Nasty cat." ("A positive powerhouse? booms Roland. "Powermouse, you means," squeals Madeleine.) Even Marcus Aurelius expresses his "undying gratitude" at Magnus' springing him from a trap. Then the farmer, noticing the empty rabbit-food bag, the sprung trap, sends for Jim the ratcatcher—behind his back, Jim the Rat. . . and an authorial upending the equal of Magnus. Jim the Rat can smell a mouse (even "a house-mouse'); he treasures the legend of the King Rat—"Could it be a King Mouse?" Baiting a mink trap with a Mars Bar, he catches Magnus; covertly bears him off-to the horror of the watching trio; and sets about taming him—"The way to the royal heart, he thought, is through the royal stomach"—while Madeleine and Marcus Aurelius comfort themselves with Roland's kindly prophecy of his "triumphal return." So, indeed, it will be: Jim's worship of his extraordinary pet ("A ratcatcher may look at a King Mouse") is matched by Magnus' guilty yearning ("All because Magnus was so greedy! Nasty, nasty Magnus!") for his Mummy and Daddy. There is a hint, once they're all happily resettled, of further adventures to come. A disquieting hint, in a way—so vigorously and unexpectedly do the animal world and the human world mingle in this first.
Pub Date: April 1, 1984
ISBN: 0141318201
Page Count: 169
Publisher: Harper & Row
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1984
A colorful story for kids who approach everything with gusto.
In his debut picture book, Swiss chef Humm draws on aspects of his own childhood in a story to help kids dream bigger.
Daniel, a blond-haired boy with pale skin, is told to draw his dream house for class, so he goes all out, as he often does with things he loves. His classmates all stick to their one page, but Daniel’s illustration of his dream house covers the classroom walls. The furious teacher sends him to the principal, who then sends the boy home. “How can there be rules for dreams?” cries Daniel. Luckily, Mama Brigitte encourages him to dream big. Together, they cover an entire room in drawing paper—and Daniel has all the room he needs to approach the assignment his way. Humm’s story relates a single episode in a child’s life—the perfect length for a picture book. Kids who’ve felt singled out for their enthusiasm will see themselves in a positive light. The author’s gratitude for his supportive mother, also named Brigitte, is noted in the dedication and is clear in the tale itself, which offers a great representation of a positive adult influence. Pedott’s full-color illustrations, mostly two-page spreads, effectively reflect the big-picture message. The last pages even nod to the author’s real-life restaurant profession.
A colorful story for kids who approach everything with gusto.Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
ISBN: 9798988567028
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Hightree Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 8, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An effervescent celebration of play in the early years.
As with Spanyol’s stellar Clive books, Rosa’s favorite activities buck gender stereotypes.
The toddler races toy cars, jumps monster trucks, and builds a car out of a cardboard box with her buddies in what looks like a day care or preschool setting. Spanyol’s childlike lines, soft palette, and chunky figures are as cheerful as ever. The text is mostly straightforward, simple narration peppered with exclamations from Rosa and her chums: “Rosa and Marcel play in the sandpit. ‘Dig-a-dig, dig-a-dig, scoop!’ sings Rosa.” Rosa has brown skin and black, curly hair, and she wears bright yellow eyeglasses. Her friends include Samira, who uses a wheelchair and is likely of South Asian descent; Mustafa, who appears black; Biba, who has light-brown skin and straight, black hair; and Sarah and Marcel, who both present white. Three other equally charming titles accompany this offering. In Rosa and Her Dinosaurs, the heroine dons a purple dress and plays with a collection of toy dinosaurs. Rosa and her buds (all wearing helmets) roll through the pages of Rosa Rides Her Scooter. And in Rosa Plays Ball, Rosa pushes a cart with various kinds of balls to toss about with her friends outside.
An effervescent celebration of play in the early years. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-78628-125-8
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Child's Play
Review Posted Online: Dec. 4, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
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