Fun if didactic.
A messy boy comes to a compromise after a school day spent trying to tame his unruly head of hair.
Aidan’s brown hair is wild and unkempt; the greasy mop has a mind of its own. At school, Aidan’s hair takes over by tying itself into bows, then reaching out to grab paintbrushes and splatter paint everywhere. At recess it creates havoc by grabbing other students with its octopuslike tentacles and yanking them into a mud puddle. Via the bathroom mirror, the exasperated and exhausted Aidan has a tête-à-tête with his hair. In response to his frustrated pleas, it offers a selection of possible styles. Most importantly, it wants hygiene, a few tendrils twining themselves into a cursive “WASH ME.” Aidan agrees to wash his hair on weeknights but will revert to his happy, grubby self on weekends. Bright illustrations depict humorous, fantastically disruptive school scenes centered on the gap-toothed and mostly good-natured white boy’s sloppy appearance and his out-of-control mane. Aidan’s ultimate understanding of simple personal hygiene allows for a plausible solution to make his school day go smoothly. As with many lesson books, it seems to have so much fun with its out-of-control premise that the relatively tidy Aidan standing at the bus stop the next morning feels like a letdown. Readers who notice his untied shoelaces will see that yet more taming is in the offing.
Fun if didactic. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62370-884-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
This spin on a familiar comical trope offers some chuckles, but the valuation of conformity over personal choice may leave...
An unkempt lad with a deep aversion to combs and brushes learns his lesson when birds take up residence on his head.
Unlike many other takes on this popular premise, which are spun into celebrations of individuality, Le crafts from it a cautionary tale. Harry’s refusal to let anyone tame his wild mane not only results in a nickname of “Hairy,” but draws a pair of doves who in time raise such a noisy family that he’s thrown out of choir practice at school. Worse yet, a tree grows (rather suddenly) atop his noggin—providing both room for more nesting couples as well as branches on which all sorts of errant clothing and bric-a-brac catch. But it’s the continual noise that at last drives him to let his mom replant the tree and scissor down his thatch. The accomplished, artfully mottled illustrations feature lots of white birds and short-haired, light-skinned children flocking around a button-eyed lad with a grayish-brown mop and an unhappy moue. In the end Harry’s frown is transformed into a smile beneath a cutely fringed bowl cut more consistent with what his peers are sporting, and the avian chatter becomes “happy songs.”
This spin on a familiar comical trope offers some chuckles, but the valuation of conformity over personal choice may leave readers scratching their heads—and maybe wondering where cleanliness, never mentioned, comes in. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: June 14, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-60887-733-1
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Insight Editions
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
Playful poetry and palatable prose provide a useful, kid-friendly introduction to nutrition.
This scientifically based exploration of the five food groups showcases their components and nutritional relevance by posing and responding to questions kids frequently ask.
Briefly explaining why we eat, the text examines each food group: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. After defining a fruit, listing examples, and discussing their nutritional value, the text investigates what makes fruits sweet and colorful. The vegetable section opens with the difference between fruits and vegetable and moves on to why many vegetables are green and why it’s important to eat vegetables. Describing “what makes a grain a grain,” the text explains the difference between brown and white breads and “what makes popcorn pop.” Protein foods are discussed as important building blocks followed by explorations of why lean meats are healthier than fatty and “why do beans make you gassy?” The final, dairy-group section explores the sources of milk, its composition, and nutrients as well as the difference between whole milk and skim and “why are some cheeses so stinky.” The clearly written, fact-based text concludes with advice on balancing food groups. Each double-page spread features a haiku that encapsulates the topic or subtopics explored and a prose sidebar that goes into detail. Colorful, acrylic illustrations featuring five inquisitive, racially diverse kids exploring food production on a farm add visual focus and lighthearted humor.
Playful poetry and palatable prose provide a useful, kid-friendly introduction to nutrition. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 14, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58089-590-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
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