An often charming, if occasionally uneven, collection.
A posthumous compilation of poems and stories about nature for young readers, written and illustrated by Parlee.
This book of four short stories and more than 20 poems centered on the natural world is dedicated to the author’s granddaughter and was compiled and published by her daughter, Rena Parsey. In a preface, Parsey describes Parlee as an imaginative, inventive person, noting that “sometimes a creative idea would strike her imagination, and it could not be stopped—hence this book.” Each entry features hand-drawn illustrations, mostly featuring the animals, insects, and occasional elf or fairy described in the text. The poems are short and easy to read: “The sun has set, and night is falling. / A busy day is done. / Safety of the coop is calling. / The hens file in, one by one” (“Hen’s Good Night”). Although the rhyme schemes are simple, they’re skillfully executed and don’t rely on imperfect rhymes that might trip up youngsters. “Dandelion’s Song” is especially appealing, reminding readers of the joy to be found in humble dandelions. The stories are a mixed bag: “How the Frog Became the Fairies’ Guard” is a fun tale of how frogs got their lovely singing voices in exchange for protecting the fairies’ home from rampaging trolls, but “The Story of Bitty Betty” and “Camp Out at Cougar Gulch” tend to ramble, although the foreword notes that some entries were possibly “not complete or polished”; they may appeal most to members of Parlee’s family. The illustrations, though, are the most charming part of the book: The animals and birds are portrayed in a wonderfully realistic manner and even the more fanciful creatures come alive. The old-fashioned look of these illustrations may not appeal to some, but others are sure to enjoy its distinct, vintage style.
An often charming, if occasionally uneven, collection.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: July 18, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with...
Reynolds and Brown have crafted a Halloween tale that balances a really spooky premise with the hilarity that accompanies any mention of underwear.
Jasper Rabbit needs new underwear. Plain White satisfies him until he spies them: “Creepy underwear! So creepy! So comfy! They were glorious.” The underwear of his dreams is a pair of radioactive-green briefs with a Frankenstein face on the front, the green color standing out all the more due to Brown’s choice to do the entire book in grayscale save for the underwear’s glowing green…and glow they do, as Jasper soon discovers. Despite his “I’m a big rabbit” assertion, that glow creeps him out, so he stuffs them in the hamper and dons Plain White. In the morning, though, he’s wearing green! He goes to increasing lengths to get rid of the glowing menace, but they don’t stay gone. It’s only when Jasper finally admits to himself that maybe he’s not such a big rabbit after all that he thinks of a clever solution to his fear of the dark. Brown’s illustrations keep the backgrounds and details simple so readers focus on Jasper’s every emotion, writ large on his expressive face. And careful observers will note that the underwear’s expression also changes, adding a bit more creep to the tale.
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with Dr. Seuss’ tale of animate, empty pants. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0298-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
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