Two sixth graders find their third-grade teacher living in a cardboard box in the park and give him a fresh start in this contrived, misguided tale from Evans (The Classroom at the End of the Hall, 1995). Charlie isn't sure why he follows the filthy, shambling street person into the public library—until he realizes with a shock that it's Joe Adams, his all-time favorite teacher. When Charlie rushes up to talk, he is coldly rebuffed. Enlisting the help of classmate Colleen, another Adams fan, he begins bringing food and clean clothing to the box where Adams keeps his books and opera tapes, lying about his whereabouts to conveniently oblivious parents. As weeks pass, Adams slowly becomes less hostile, and at last explains how the combination of chemotherapy, divorce, and a publicized incident in which he shoved a bullying student destroyed his self-esteem, led him to resign, and eventually drove him to drink. Ultimately, Charlie and Colleen sneak him into his old school classroom for a week (it's spring break), while appreciative former students gather to get him back on his feet with a check, an apartment, and a pep rally. Evans pays warm tribute to the profound effects a teacher can have, and suggests that helping the homeless often requires more than finding them places to live. Still, there are several characters and subplots undeveloped, and in Charlie's example is a potentially dangerous course of action. (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Nov. 28, 1997
ISBN: 1-886910-20-0
Page Count: 124
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1997
Miranda’s book counts the monsters gathering at a birthday party, while a simple rhyming text keeps the tally and surveys the action: “Seven starved monsters are licking the dishes./Eight blow out candles and make birthday wishes.” The counting proceeds to ten, then by tens to fifty, then gradually returns to one, which makes the monster’s mother, a purple pin-headed octopus, very happy. The book is surprisingly effective due to Powell’s artwork; the color has texture and density, as if it were poured onto the page, but the real attention-getter is the singularity of every monster attendee. They are highly individual and, therefore, eminently countable. As the numbers start crawling upward, it is both fun and a challenge to try to recognize monsters who have appeared in previous pages, or to attempt to stay focused when counting the swirling or bunched creatures. The story has glints of humor, and in combination with the illustrations is a grand addition to the counting shelf. (Picture book. 3-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-201835-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
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