by Gabriel Alborozo ; illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 28, 2019
A subtle and inventive alternative to today’s technology-tethered indoor play.
Flora is inspired to create her artistic drawings and paintings as she watches her younger brother, Will, engage in his adventurous, imaginative play.
A loud and rambunctious muse, Will has never seen the artwork that decorates the walls of his sister’s treehouse. One day, however, he observes her sketching, becomes curious, and climbs the ladder even though he is strictly an unwelcome visitor (“NO WILLS ALLOWED!” reads her sign). Flora’s gallery is impressive, and despite her initial grumpiness, she explains that many of the pictures mirror his play, like the recent aliens he was fighting or the time he flew his rocket to Pluto. As the siblings, who are white, reminisce about each of Will’s escapades represented in Flora’s masterpieces, the two soon combine their imaginative talents and create a new adventure together. Colorful digital illustrations temper the mild sibling rivalry with the children’s round, smiling faces. As Flora explains her artwork, realistic scenes fade to magnificent imaginary tableaux in which both children enact the artwork, underscoring how the creative use of crayons and markers can extend a young child’s concepts and perceptions.
A subtle and inventive alternative to today’s technology-tethered indoor play. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 28, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-62779-226-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
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by Christopher Denise ; illustrated by Christopher Denise ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2022
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
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A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Steve Jenkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2014
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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