An inventive, nicely illustrated fantasy emphasizing determination, bravery, and magic.
An elf solves a mystery in her forest home in this picture book.
In Cucuruzzu, Eli, a “moon elf,” is perplexed that sugar crystals in the forest are “turning anyone who touched them into hard rock candy.” Then Eli’s bunny friend Luna discovers that her baby, Doudou, is afflicted. Eli and Luna immediately seek help. A magician explains the phenomenon occurs when the Hallowshine dragon’s tears become sugar crystals, which “can be broken with a drop of his saliva” if done “by the next nightfall.” Fairy Lexie says to locate the dragon, they must retrieve a pair of magical golden shoes. Eli finds the shoes, which fly her and Luna to the dragon’s cave. They confront the sobbing creature, who feels guilty and lonely. Eli empathizes, noting: “I…am the only moon elf I know. But the animals of the enchanted forest have been kind to me, and I know they would be kind to you, too.” The dragon escorts them home, but night has fallen—it’s too late to save Doudou. When Eli cries, her tears cause the crystals to vanish, freeing Doudou and shocking the elf. The dragon vows: “Tears no more…and friends, forever.” Cabanel’s eventful tale offers an imaginative spin on a hero’s quest to save the day. Readers will enjoy following Eli in an ethereal setting filled with colorful characters. Ilchenko’s fantastical images feature lush forest scenes with vivid details like twisty trees and distinctive critters.
An inventive, nicely illustrated fantasy emphasizing determination, bravery, and magic.Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77790-881-2
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Twenty Two House Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Though it’s not groundbreaking, this book is bound to please beginning readers with automotive fixations and patience for no...
Fishes of the sea, birds of the air, and critters of the land unite around a single belief: Their cars rock!
Even struggling readers will be challenged to find anything at all difficult in this latest entry in the I Like to Read series. It certainly won’t be the writing, as all pages contain only the words “I like my…car,” the sole textual variation being the color of each vehicle and a single “too.” Nor will they tussle with the plot, such as it is. As readers watch, a series of jaunty animals, each tucked snug behind the wheel of their conveyances (the sole exception being the chauffeured poodle in a limo), declares their fondness for their autos. Saving the book from utter innocuousness is its 1950s-vibed art. The endpapers sport such snazzy accoutrements as fuzzy dice; the style of each car is apt and distinctive; subtle in-jokes (a turtle applies a coat of wax; a pine-shaped air freshener dangles from the shark’s rearview mirror) abound. With each detail, Robertson’s mix of digital and physical art (including an etching press, water-based printing inks, and an onion bag) pays off. As they should, these drivers revel in their cars’ flashy, colorful looks, and they are set against some seriously mod backdrops.
Though it’s not groundbreaking, this book is bound to please beginning readers with automotive fixations and patience for no more than six words to a page. (Picture book/early reader. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3951-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
Nothing riveting but serviceable enough.
Children are introduced to the concepts of sorting and classifying in this bedtime story.
It is getting close to bedtime, and Marco’s mother asks him to put his toys away. Marco—who thinks of himself as a scientist—corrects her: “You mean time to sort the animals.” And that’s what he proceeds to do. Marco sorts his animals into three baskets labeled “Flying Animals,” “Swimming Animals,” and “Animals That Move on Land,” but the animals will not sleep. So he sorts them by color: “Mostly Brown,” “Black and White,” and “Colors of the Rainbow,” but Zebra is upset to be separated from Giraffe. Next, Marco sorts his animals by size: “Small,” “Medium,” and “Large,” but the big animals are cramped and the small ones feel cold. Finally, Marco ranges them around his bed from biggest to smallest, thus providing them with space to move and helping them to feel safe. Everyone satisfied, they all go to sleep. While the plot is flimsy, the general idea that organizing and classifying can be accomplished in many different ways is clear. Young children are also presented with the concept that different classifications can lead to different results. The illustrations, while static, keep the focus clearly on the sorting taking place. Marco and his mother have brown skin. The backmatter includes an explanation of sorting in science and ideas for further activities.
Nothing riveting but serviceable enough. (Math picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-62354-128-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
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