No question—a large fraction of parents and teachers will be reaching for this.
Not only tackling fractions, but simplifying them, this fills a need and thoroughly entertains.
George Cornelius Factor (G.C.F., get it?) collects fractions. But he’s not alone: Baron von Mathematik and Madame de Géométrique also covet the 5/8 that is newly up for auction. But the nefarious Dr. Brok, a master of disguise, steals it. He “can take a 1/2 and turn it into a 2/4 or a 3/6. It’s still the same fraction, but it looks different.” George won’t be deterred. He invents a Reducer—half ray gun, half calculator—that zaps fractions into their lowest terms and goes to Dr. Brok’s mansion to confront him and find the 5/8. A clever bit of detective work and a rousing action sequence later, and the 5/8 is back to its lowest terms and part of George’s collection. Throughout, Einhorn finds ways to humorously add fractions to his tale—the fraction lovers bid portions of $1 million, and Brok’s mansion is 1/10 of a mile tall—and painlessly describes the process of reducing them to their lowest terms. Backmatter summarizes the learning, though not as simply as the text. Clark’s ink-and-watercolor illustrations truly make the characters’ personalities shine. Dr. Brok looks something like professor Hinkle of Frosty the Snowman fame, while the pages simply ooze with the aura of a great mystery.
No question—a large fraction of parents and teachers will be reaching for this. (Math picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: March 25, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-57091-773-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Jan. 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
In these six stories, O’Malley capitalizes on most of the stereotypes associated with school—practical jokers, daydreamers...
When it comes to school, backpacks and desks go hand in hand, so it is no surprise that O’Malley has followed his Backpack Stories (2009) with this impertinent look at that standard of classroom furniture, the desk.
In these six stories, O’Malley capitalizes on most of the stereotypes associated with school—practical jokers, daydreamers and goody two-shoes, attempts to escape boring lessons and fool teachers and the quintessential messy desk. All are all wrapped up with his own particular brand of sassy, off-the-wall humor. His tour of desk history includes medieval desks that sport spikes to prevent napping during class. In "Trapped!," John gets chased down and returned to class by his monstrous desk, while "It Came from Within" chronicles the attempt of two practical jokers to even the academic playing field. A school-themed spread of jokes is followed by a high-tech look at some prototypes of Desktec’s line of desks of the future. The adventures of “Sue Smallton: The Incredible Shrinking Supergirl" round out the collection with a hideously dangerous journey into the bowels of a desk to retrieve a lost barrette. O’Malley’s artwork is a combination of different graphic styles, lending each separate story its own feel and highlighting their science-fictional basis.Pub Date: July 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8075-1562-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2011
Two boys imagine an adventure in the kingdoms of Thatchwych and High Dudgeon. Sir Seth and his buddy Sir Ollie go a-questing in their tinfoil armor to find the missing Soothsaying Shoes of Sir Shawn Shrood. They wend their way to the dark, lonely castle of Prince Quincy of Poxley with the help of saber-toothed sloth Edith-Anne and the ghost of Jolly King Wally. Can they brave the weezils and weevils and elephant ants with measles and worse? With the help of new friends, it’s easy-peasy! Published in an avowed attempt to revive the read-aloud for middle graders, Canadian ad-man Thake’s first work of fiction will, more likely, sour their stomachs. The forced rhymes and treacly descriptions would set teeth on edge in a picture book. The bad grammar and cutesy made-up words are anything but instructive, easily addressed “dangers” kill any sense of adventure and the characters never develop beyond caricatures. Serviceable black-and-white, cartoon illustrations can’t save this. Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon books, Kate McMullan’s Dragon Slayers' Academy and the storied Magic Tree House all render this painfully patronizing series unnecessary. (Fantasy. 7-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-897349-92-2
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2010
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