A kids’ book that adults, and especially fans of the Grateful Dead, will be able to valuably share with the youngsters in...
A box of Grateful Dead bear dolls brings a grandfather and granddaughter closer in this retelling of a true family story by debut author Bratt and debut artist High.
Four-year-old Ava’s grandfather wants to give her a surprise for Christmas. He spent a year collecting 100 colorful, cuddly Grateful Dead bears (which were inspired by one of the group’s album-cover illustrations), each one different. Just before the holiday, he puts them in a huge box under the tree. Ava loves them immediately, and she and her grandfather bond over learning the names and colors of the friendly dolls. The bears themselves are grateful to have such a wonderful home with a girl who loves them so much. Even as Ava gets older, and the bears spend more time in a basket and less time on display, she remembers each of their names and loves them. But after the family cat acts out by spraying Ava’s bears instead of using his litter box, the girl’s mother kicks them out of the house. The bears are terrified but still glad to be with one another: “Ava’s Grateful Bears had an amazing gift / of always finding something to be grateful for.” After a long, cold winter of living outside, Ava’s grandfather attempts to rescue them, and although it takes time, he succeeds in restoring them. Ava can again share her love of the (now-clean) bears with her friends. That Christmas, Ava and her grandfather tie ribbons to each bear and decorate the tree with them. The book’s plot sometimes stumbles, due to sticking close to true events, and the bears’ thoughts are only intermittently revealed. But the overall story of the bears’ journey is delightful, and the love between Ava and her grandfather is touching. High’s illustrations capture the joy of the Grateful Bears and feature their unique colors and patterns; some images are filled to the brim with bears in the background. It would have been nice if Bratt had better explained why the dolls are called Grateful Dead bears, but his emphasis on keeping a grateful heart and attitude comes through clearly.
A kids’ book that adults, and especially fans of the Grateful Dead, will be able to valuably share with the youngsters in their lives.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9909981-0-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tacksam Hus Press
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
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