Relatable storytelling and characters underscore the importance of encouraging children to stretch their imaginations.
Tales of leprechauns inspire best friends to seek one out for its pot of gold in Bird’s chapter book.
Boston grade-schoolers Ellie and her best friend, Kim, are captivated by Kim’s grandmother’s tales about leprechauns. When Ellie’s mom says she read that some leprechauns emigrated from Ireland to Boston, the girls decide to capture one of the little folk, hoping to be offered gold in exchange for its release. The author nicely conveys a sense of possibility in the excitement that Ellie and Kim feel when Ellie’s mother suggests a likely spot for their search in a field with an ancient oak tree: “There was hardly enough earth to hold the massive roots that knotted over each other…. Among the decay and decomposition, small mushrooms sprouted eagerly from beneath the damp ground.” Central to the book’s message about the link between children’s imaginative play and their ability to problem-solve is Ellie’s supportive mom, who calls all of Ellie and Kim’s outings “adventures.” She subtly facilitates the girls’ mission, contributing well-timed nuggets of leprechaun information with the disclaimer that she is sharing “what I read in a book of folklore.” In Ellie and Kim’s approach, Bird models systematic information-gathering through online research, direct sources (Ellie’s mom and Kim’s grandmother), and creative thinking—the tiny silver buckle they find must come from a leprechaun’s shoe, and that scrap of leather; could it be a leprechaun’s blanket or shoe-making material? At home, Ellie’s everyday life disappointingly includes some seemingly obligatory sibling conflict: In response to her twin brother James’ smirking skepticism about her leprechaun findings, Ellie calls him a “Blockhead.” Visually, most pages of the well-spaced text are enlivened by David A.’s ink-and-watercolor cartoon-style spot drawings of leprechauns, a mushroom fairy ring, acorns, little hats and boots, and coin-filled kettles. Some of the action, including Ellie and Kim’s search of the hollow under the oak tree, is rendered in half-page illustrations. In the text itself, a mix of regular and decorative fonts used for emphasis adds to the visual appeal.
Relatable storytelling and characters underscore the importance of encouraging children to stretch their imaginations.Pub Date: May 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781039159297
Page Count: 108
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
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