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DAD RUNS AWAY WITH THE CIRCUS

Name: DAD RUNS AWAY WITH THE CIRCUS
Author: Etgar Keret
ISBN: 0-7636-2247-8

by Etgar Keret & illustrated by Rutu Modan & translated by Noah Stollman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2004

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The circus is coming! Dad’s swinging from the chandelier in excitement, but young Zach and Audrey just shrug. No biggie—until Dad actually departs with the big top. Modan puts simply drawn cartoon figures in a contemporary, flat-perspective setting, using smudgy colors to reflect the childrens’ sadness. Having sent letters from all over the world detailing his experiences, Dad returns at last—and in a climactic gatefold, Zach and Audren are amazed to see their father doing it all, from Ringmaster to clown, from animal tamer to firebreather. Even better, he comes home to stay, and in no time has the whole family leaping and twirling acrobatically. One line of text falls flat, possibly due to poor translation (“According to Mom, getting soaked [by rain] could be hazardous to your health. But Dad said that if you compared it to putting your head in a lion’s mouth, it was child’s play”), but the tale has an offhand charm that suits the offbeat premise. (Picture book. 7-9)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2004

ISBN: 0-7636-2247-8

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2004

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
LONG-HAIRED CAT-BOY CUB
by Etgar Keret ; illustrated by Aviel Basil ; translated by Sondra Silverston

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JUST THE RIGHT CAKE

by Christina Tosi ; illustrated by Emily Balsley ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 7, 2023

A foodie’s delight, with a sweet message between the layers.

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It’s all about the yum in this tale from Tosi, founder of Milk Bar, a chain of bakeries.

Now that his mom and dad are living apart, young Phil finds that his delectable double chocolate cake isn’t the same when he prepares it with just one parent at a time. Nor does making brownies with one and s’mores with the other quite butter the biscuit. His peanut butter cookie–making partner, Sammi, tells him that “every cake has a story. And sometimes stories change.” That sends him to the grocery store for inspiration and leads to a mouthwatering epiphany: “A Chocolate Brownie PB S’mores layer cake!” "New could be exciting and special,” enthuses the author before closing with a challenging but feasible recipe (with the suggestion to torch the top properly left for grown-up sous-chefs). Reinforcing the upbeat tone and positive outlook in this tale of family changes, Balsley’s cartoon illustrations depict a young patissier presenting the very picture of culinary self-confidence as he bustles about two kitchens while his parents look on affectionately and lend an occasional willing ear or hand. This one is best when dished up with sweets and a napkin, like all the better pastry-centered picture books. Phil and his father are tan-skinned, Mom is brown-skinned, and Sammi is light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A foodie’s delight, with a sweet message between the layers. (Picture book. 7-9)

Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023

ISBN: 9780593110713

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Rocky Pond Books/Penguin

Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
EVERY CAKE HAS A STORY
by Christina Tosi ; illustrated by Emily Balsley

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KEVIN AND HIS DAD

by Irene Smalls ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1999

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There is something profoundly elemental going on in Smalls’s book: the capturing of a moment of unmediated joy. It’s not melodramatic, but just a Saturday in which an African-American father and son immerse themselves in each other’s company when the woman of the house is away. Putting first things first, they tidy up the house, with an unheralded sense of purpose motivating their actions: “Then we clean, clean, clean the windows,/wipe, wipe, wash them right./My dad shines in the windows’ light.” When their work is done, they head for the park for some batting practice, then to the movies where the boy gets to choose between films. After a snack, they work their way homeward, racing each other, doing a dance step or two, then “Dad takes my hand and slows down./I understand, and we slow down./It’s a long, long walk./We have a quiet talk and smile.” Smalls treats the material without pretense, leaving it guileless and thus accessible to readers. Hays’s artwork is wistful and idyllic, just as this day is for one small boy. (Picture book. 5-8)