Much lightened by its upbeat resolution, a cautionary but not strident discussion starter about responsible resource...
In this companion to the similarly eco-themed Mr. King’s Things (2012), a lion-turned–real estate developer recklessly undermines his own foundations.
Fixed on expanding his house into a “BIG castle” since he likes “BIG things,” Mr. King chips block-shaped pieces from the surrounding BIG hill to build battlements and colonnades. By the time he’s finished his project, there’s nothing left of the hill beneath but a few tiny green snippets floating in white space. Rather than letting gravity take over or moving her tale in some other, more realistic direction, Côté opts for, in essence, a do-over. Feeling “very small” at seeing the hill’s other animal residents gathered to protest the loss of grass, flowers and habitat, Mr. King joins in to reassemble the cutout pieces back into seamless slopes. There’s even a leftover block suitable for a smaller building project, so everyone gets to come away satisfied. Done in crayon and thin, streaked tissue collage, the brightly lit illustrations feature flat geometric shapes and smiling (before and after, at least), simply drawn cartoon figures.
Much lightened by its upbeat resolution, a cautionary but not strident discussion starter about responsible resource allocation. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-55453-972-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: May 28, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2013
A snort-inducing lesson of both bravery and preparation.
Four woodland animal friends put on a show.
Rabbit, Squirrel, and aptly named Other Squirrel (who has slightly redder fur than Squirrel) are a flurry of activity. They are going to put on a show. “A BIG show.…The BEST show!” It will have hats (tall ones), tickets (shiny ones), and a curtain (red—no, green). There are many decisions to be made. Bear, however, does not want to be part of it. He is too shy. He would prefer to be the note taker. Rabbit, Squirrel, and Other Squirrel fire off ideas, amending one another’s at furious speed, and Bear writes them all down. Scribbles appear in the white space surrounding the boulderlike ursine’s head. The ideas pile up; debut illustrator Todd deftly covers an entire page while Bear hunches in the middle, furiously writing. He hums a tune to keep himself calm. On the night of the performance, everything seems ready. Everything except…the show! They were so bogged down with the details, no one figured out what the show would be. The title gives away the ending from the very start, but Bear’s pluck is nevertheless laudable. Petty’s comedic quips are echoed in the frenzied art, with Bear looming large yet timid to ground it all. Limited, skilled use of panels helps to control the pacing.
A snort-inducing lesson of both bravery and preparation. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3747-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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An amusing tale, ready for reading aloud, of finding “the perfect place.” (Picture book. 4-7)
A clumsy platypus takes on a humorous persona.
In this playful, rhyming text, Platypus continually falls as tries to find friends. He meets a host of Australian animals (although their country is never mentioned) and tries to follow their lead. “Kangaroos / jump-a-roo, / so he hollers, ‘I’ll jump too!’ ” As he is shown “SKIPPING, / HOPPING, / DIPPING, / DROPPING,” he bumps into one of the marsupials and—“SPLATypus!” appears in red text, as the poor animal falls to the ground. “Far too jumpy, / far too bumpy, / this is not for Platypus.” He tries racing with dingoes, leaping with possums, and flying with fruit bats, only to be discouraged each time, until he discovers his natural milieu. His swimming skills come into play as he enters the water. Here he meets penguins, swans, pelicans, turtles, fish, lobsters, and even a sea horse. “DIVING, DIPPING, / SLIDING, SLIPPING.” Here he is also called “SPLATypus,” but the name takes on a different connotation as the water creatures welcome him. Browns, greens, and blues predominate in the watercolor palette, and the illustrator gives viewers a strong sense of several different habitats in the land Down Under. While most animals are represented in their real colors, the comical title character stands out with his uncharacteristic blue bill and webfeet. (Platypuses have black bills and feet).
An amusing tale, ready for reading aloud, of finding “the perfect place.” (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5039-3920-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2017
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BOOK REVIEW
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