Paulsen paid loving tribute to the sled dogs in his life in Puppies, Dogs and Blue Northers (1996) so gives eight more canine companions equal time: Snowball, who saved his life when he was seven, to Caesar, an enthusiastic Great Dane who "overwhelmed the furniture" but was gentle with children, to Fred, who did battle with an electric fence, to Quincy, who did battle with a bear that attacked the author's wife. Thoughtful, ironic, often hilarious, these vivid character portraits not only make winning stories, but convey a deep respect for all dogs: "They are wonderful and, I think, mandatory for decent human life." (Memoir. 10-13)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-385-32570-3
Page Count: 130
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1997
The author of Mama, Let's Dance (1991) takes readers down yet another rocky road in a story of contemporary restlessness. When her mother tells 11-year-old ``Sam'' (Samantha) about their impending move, the girl embraces the idea, particularly since their destination is her grandfather's Colorado ranch. Life has disappointed Sam, yet she hopes things will work out, this time. And they do: her grandparents' welcome is warm; she finds a soulmate, learns to ride, and genuinely settles in. But Sam must choose between this idyllic existence and the instability of life with her mother. Hermes poises her main character between poles of compassion and selfishness, then doesn't make clear Sam's reasons for choosing the comfortless extreme. Though the implication is that someone to count on long distance is better than no one to count on at all, Sam's dearly bought emotional growth lacks a convincing resolution. Nonetheless, Hermes's storytelling makes an effective hook; steer those who relate to this drama on to MacLachlan's compelling, beautifully crafted Journey (1992). (Fiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-316-35925-4
Page Count: 184
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1993
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An oddly unsatisfying account of a naturalist/photographer's 16,000-mile journey through 13 African countries. Traveling with a group of tourists in a custom-built truck—on an itinerary avoiding political trouble spots—Kreikemeier passed through every kind of landscape, including Kilimanjaro's snow field; his big, sun- drenched color photos expertly capture the drama of Victoria Falls and other natural features as well as close views of wildlife. The text offers less: condensing six months of travel into a few anecdotal paragraphs and captions per page robs the narrative of continuity and any sense of time or distance, while occasional piquant details—the eerie moaning of wind in the baobabs, or a list of belongings crammed into the author's 47-pound allotment- -only point up a tendency toward bland generalities (``Elephants are extremely interesting animals''). Except for a few shots of beaming, ragged young folk, a session with a shaman and his prognosticating land crab (``Fortunately for me, the sorcerer interpreted this as a sign that the rest of the expedition would be successful,'' Kreikemeier condescendingly remarks), and some group shots of herders and dancers, the people of Africa are not much in evidence here. Visually enticing, but not as thoughtful as Chiasson's African Journey (1987). (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-307-15660-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1993
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