Bucolic bedtime done right.
Will Duck ever get some shut-eye?
“It is nighttime on the farm. / Everyone is tired. / It is time to relax, / unwind, and unplug.” Farmer Brown turns out the “cow light,” and the cows nestle down to sleep in the dark. He gives the sheep a brush, turns out the “sheep light,” and they start snoozing. The chickens need a night light, but they are ready to sleep too. Ever the contrarian, Duck, of course, needs some coaxing. Farmer Brown sings to him, reads to him, does yoga with him, even reads and discusses the top news stories of the day…but when Duck’s light goes out, Duck can’t sleep. (Farmer Brown is zonked in his rocker.) Duck tries sleeping with each of the other groups of farm animals, but no situation is exactly right. Duck finds a nice place under a tree—but “Chit, chat, chitter”: The bats keep him awake. By the pond, the frogs keep him up. Duck knows a good place to sleep…so when the elderly White farmer finally makes his way to bed, he finds he has a bunkmate. Some may be surprised this duo hasn’t done a good-night book before now; this will satisfy fans and work as a bedtime story for anyone who doesn’t know the series (if such exists). (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-15.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 71.3% of actual size.)
Bucolic bedtime done right. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-5108-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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