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A JAR FULL OF MICE

Name: A JAR FULL OF MICE
Author: Diz Wallis
ISBN: 1-878093-42-8

by Diz Wallis & illustrated by Diz Wallis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1991

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In an unabashed, remarkably successful imitation of Beatrix Potter, Wallis (Something Nasty in the Cabbages, p. 1017) concocts an appealing cat-and-mouse drama. When the new cook demands a cat to oust the numerous mice, three are introduced; the first, a ``Persian queen,'' is far too well bred to work; the second, an alley cat, devotes himself to singing and dancing in the moonlight; and the third is more of a menace. But after a flurry of activity during which the mice hide in a ginger jar, and after the subsequent uproar when the cook discovers them, the true mouser is banished, the cook flees, and the mice are left in peaceful coexistence with the two remaining cats. Wallis's narration is lively, beautifully cadenced, and full of apt, economical turns. Her diminutive illustrations are precisely executed and charmingly detailed. A companion book, Pip's Adventure, concerning a greedy, fat dog stuck in a rabbit hole, has a more derivative plot but is also expertly told and beautifully illustrated. These little gems are worthy to share the small-book shelf with their eminent predecessors. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1991

ISBN: 1-878093-42-8

Page Count: 28

Publisher: Boyds Mills

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1991

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
BATTLE OF THE BEASTS
adapted by Diz Wallis & illustrated by Diz Wallis

- BOOK REVIEW
SOMETHING NASTY IN THE CABBAGES

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A DOG NAMED SAM

by Janice Boland & illustrated by G. Brian Karas ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1996

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A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 1, 1996

ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Dial Books

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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I WISH YOU MORE

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal ; illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2015

Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.

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A collection of parental wishes for a child.

It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.

Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)