Jack is a cut-paper frog, applied to the page, whom Walsh (Samantha, 1996, etc.) uses to explain the broadest elements of a fairy tale: the challenge, the mettle tested, the happily ever after. The story opens with a writer contemplating a fairy-tale project. There will be royalty involved, and trolls—and Jack. He balks: ``Leave me out. Fairy tales aren't safe—I saw those trolls.'' At the writer's coaxing, Jack reluctantly agrees to participate. Thus the tale unfolds. The princess is abducted by trolls, the king calls on Jack to save the fair maiden, the trolls fall to bickering and pose no problem, there's a rescue, and a return. Walsh cleverly unravels the mechanics of the tale as she merrily erects its structure, but that unraveling also defeats any possibility of tension or drama—the very stuff of fairy tales. The expressionless, unblinking, upright hero, his damsel, and their foes further drain the story of interest, past the intriguing opening. Pair this with real fairy tales at story hours, for children will love the idea of the protagonist being persuaded to take on his task, and will want to apply Jack's formula, not only to see when it ``works,'' but when it varies, as well. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-15-200323-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1997
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
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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