Stevens puts a time-honored message in a buoyant new setting: Tony's father is a hotel chef who expects Tony to become a chef, too; he has no sympathy with his son's greatest interest- -dancing—which he's done constantly since before he could walk. On the school bus, in the bathtub, and, most disruptively, when his father assigns him kitchen duties, Tony dances, juggling lemons, flinging carrots, tap-dancing through a mountain of potatoes—all deliciously depicted in Yalowitz's mock-solemn art. Then the hotel has an emergency shortage of one dancer for a gala banquet; while Dad cooks a delicious feast, Tony saves the show (in a parody of a school production with kids dressed as veggies) and wins his praise. Spinelli's narrative is lively with dialogue and comical slapstick details, entertainingly depicted in Yalowitz's signature style: nearly flat modeling; expressions evoked with the tiniest of features; people and objects, in arrested motion, across carefully designed spreads in lighthearted colors. Good fun. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 16, 1993
ISBN: 0-02-786350-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Four Winds/MacMillan
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1993
A book that will make young dog-owners smile in recognition and confirm dogless readers' worst suspicions about the mayhem caused by pets, even winsome ones. Sam, who bears passing resemblance to an affable golden retriever, is praised for fetching the family newspaper, and goes on to fetch every other newspaper on the block. In the next story, only the children love Sam's swimming; he is yelled at by lifeguards and fishermen alike when he splashes through every watering hole he can find. Finally, there is woe to the entire family when Sam is bored and lonely for one long night. Boland has an essential message, captured in both both story and illustrations of this Easy-to-Read: Kids and dogs belong together, especially when it's a fun-loving canine like Sam. An appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8037-1530-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
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