A reassuring teaching story about a new home in a neighborhood that readers will recognize from DiSalvo’s earlier work (Grandpa’s Corner Store, 2000) with the spirit of her City Green (1994). In the old days, says Andy, he and his parents and sisters lived in a tiny apartment that was never quite warm enough. On Saturday mornings he and his sister would take a pile of quarters and brown-bag lunches and go to the Soap & Go on Viola Street to do the family’s laundry. He learns that the boarded-up houses across the street from the Laundromat are being purchased and renovated, and families interested could assist in the work and then be in line for a house themselves. Andy and his parents work hard every weekend for a house that the Tran family moves into; then they learn that the next house to be renovated the following spring will be theirs. A note explains the Habitat for Humanity “sweat equity” program and names other programs that help people get their own homes. Once again, DiSalvo has focused on the value of community, this one populated with a variety of ethnicities. Andy’s is a little less distinctive, but it could be Italian or Latino. Warm colors enrich the cityscape vistas of laundromat, streets, and interiors reflecting the glow of shared efforts. Rewarding. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-688-17690-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2001
A funny, charming series opener.
Ava is ready to find her best friend!
Six-year-old Ava Lin has the best snacks for lunch, pockets filled with treasures, and a list of 117 animals that might make a good pet. She does not, however, have a best friend. Luckily, she can look to her cousin Nikki for guidance; Nikki met her best friend in first grade, and as a fifth grader, she now has someone who’s always there for her. As Ava gets ready for her first day of first grade, she knows that she’ll find her best friend this year, just like Nikki. At first, things go well. Ava is seated next to generous Kushi, whose backpack features a picture of a fox (Ava loves foxes!). Then things take a turn. The rules of friendship are hard to decipher, Ava upsets her mom when she leaves a crayon in her pocket and ruins the laundry, and she makes a mistake that necessitates a trip to the doctor. Though Ava is realistically impulsive, she’s also emotionally perceptive and creative, both qualities that help her find solutions to her problems. Told through a combination of prose and grayscale illustrations (some in graphic novel–style panels), Ava’s story is a wonderful combination of laughs and drama that will keep young readers engaged—and eager to read future books in this new series. Ava and her family are of Chinese descent, while the artwork depicts Kushi as darker-skinned than Ava; other characters are illustrated with a range of skin tones.
A funny, charming series opener. (Chapter book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9781536229691
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Will draw more eyes than ever to the antics of this tuberous twosome.
Can Rot Poe Tater scare the snot out of Snot, his irritating big brother? Maybe with help from friends!
Tired of being the victim of his sib’s mischievous pranks, Rot, an anthropomorphic potato, is determined to turn the tables. Unfortunately, Snot seems to have eyes in the back of his head (no surprise, considering that he’s a potato), and even with a new pair of sneakers, Rot just can’t get the drop on him. Where can Rot learn to be even sneakier? Spy school, of course! Though Rot makes a hash out of lessons in keeping secrets and other spy skills, he finds classmates with complementary talents willing to help dish up a plan clever enough to startle the smirking older spud into a spectacularly gooey sneeze. And rather than mashing down his booger-blasted little bro, Snot gives him grudging props. Rot and pals rush to celebrate over a plate of only slightly slimed cupcakes (yum!), and the tale closes with a roguish final twist. The art, peeled down to the essentials and made with a mix of earth-toned paints, digital effects, and potato prints, adds to the episode’s air of mildly decayed charm.
Will draw more eyes than ever to the antics of this tuberous twosome. (nature facts, pranking guidelines, drawing lesson) (Graphic fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781665964302
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
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