Moving back in time, Howard presents Alena of Sister (1990) in a book for younger children. The family is building their own home on the prairie just an hour from Grandfather's farm, but first they spend a crowded winter at the new site in the just- built chickenhouse. Little Alena is twice uprooted: first from Grandfather's bustling big house, then from the cozy little building where she's learned to feel at home. This simple story doesn't have the splendid sense of place of Wilder's pioneer stories, which are told in equally simple language; we never find out where the house is, or when (though several clues suggest the end of the last century). There are other unanswered questions, like why the family moves in the fall when the house can't be built until spring—what is Father doing all winter? Still, the warm characterization of the family rings true, while Alena's ultimate affection for the chickenhouse is nicely dramatized in a poignant final scene. Engaging historical fiction. (Fiction/Young readers. 7-10)
Pub Date: April 30, 1991
ISBN: 0-689-31695-X
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1991
Martin and his little brother Peter like the little hilltop cabin where they move after Dad loses his job—until they begin to hear eerie laughter in their room at night. It's the ghost of Tom Buffle, who used to live there: lonely, he's looking for companionship, but the boys, especially Peter, are too scared to oblige. Meanwhile, they've reluctantly settled for nice middle- sized Rosie instead of the huge dog they'd hoped for, and are trying to tame a sheepdog that occasionally wanders by. Turns out the sheepdog's a ghost, too, and, once matched up, both ghosts- -and the relieved boys—are happy. Wright paints the situation with a broad brush, with parents strictly from stock; but the boys' relationship is nicely drawn and their dialogue lively and believable, while Ritz's detailed, realistic full-page drawings are unusually warm and appealing. Likable and accessible: good popular fare. (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: April 15, 1993
ISBN: 0-8234-1009-9
Page Count: 82
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1993
Large, meticulously observed color illustrations highlight this appealing survey, which includes two pages of ``Bear Facts,'' scale drawings, scientific names, and several pages each on the polar, brown, black, speckled, Asiatic, sloth, and sun bears and the giant panda. Most spreads are dominated by dramatic central illustrations, surrounded by smaller vignettes and facts about a particular bear's specialized anatomy and habits. Browsers will enjoy the majestic portraits; serious students will also want titles that are richer in detail, e.g. Pringle's Bearman (1989). An endpaper map shows ranges; unfortunately, the key (hatched lines in eight colors) is a little difficult to interpret, especially for the polar bear; still, the map serves as a complement to the ranges specified in the text. Also see Lemmon's Apes (below) in the same format. (Nonfiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-395-66899-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1993
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