A very funny and fine tribute to a very young friendship.
Tiger and Badger are very young—maybe 4—and they are best friends, doing as best friends do.
When Badger finds Tiger in her chair, eating her orange slices, Badger points out with impeccable logic that she was in that chair, before. Then Badger and Tiger (and Bad Monkey, a stuffie of uncertain provenance) want a Popsicle. But there is only one Popsicle. Badger eats all of it. Tiger is furious at her, and Bad Monkey gets thrown up into a tree, leading to this classic exchange: “ ‘You’re mean,’ says Tiger. ‘You ate the whole thing.’ ‘No, you’re mean,’ says Badger. ‘You threw Bad Monkey up high.’ ‘No, you’re mean,’ says Tiger. ‘You made me throw Bad Monkey.’ / ‘Fine.’ ” However, with the help of a spatula, some books, and that chair, the friends eventually cooperate. Bad Monkey is rescued, and then there is an episode of pushing, tail-pulling, and a lot of yelling. Then there are funny faces and laughing. They are best friends. The pictures, in watercolor, acrylic, and pencil, are a mosaic of tiny, exquisite details of leaves, branches, fruit, flowers, birds, and toys in a slightly surreal landscape of hills and trees and sunlight. Tiger’s whiskers seem always to be blowing in the wind, and Badger exudes a comfortable, if pointy-nosed, solidity.
A very funny and fine tribute to a very young friendship. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6604-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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