by Gordon Morrison & illustrated by Gordon Morrison ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 25, 2004
A pleasant and simple narrative describes the wonders of nature that can be observed, the author tells readers in his note, “in your neighborhood.” Starting with the changes brought by the warmth of spring and concluding with winter snow piled high on the promise of spring’s return, Morrison offers a look at the ways that flora and fauna common to an (unfortunately) unspecified locale transform with the seasons. Pencil-and-watercolor environmental illustrations are charming, and the primary text is supplemented by interesting bits of information, complete with very tiny but lovely pencil drawings, along the bottom of each page. Without some geographic orientation, range maps, a visual index, or other further information, children may assume that the various plants and animals mentioned may all be found in their very own backyards, and, in the case of the plant-focused spreads, may wonder which weed is which. This might whet the interest of a budding naturalist, but may disappoint those looking for a field guide. (Picture book/nonfiction. 6-10)
Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2004
ISBN: 0-618-35215-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Walter Lorraine/Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2004
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by Buzz Aldrin & illustrated by Wendell Minor ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2005
In first-person voice, Aldrin highlights points from his childhood that led to his dream of being an astronaut and making the historic moon landing. Coincidental details like his mother’s maiden name, “Moon,” and his favorite movie hero, the “Lone Ranger,” suggest clues to his destiny. After West Point, he joined the Air Force because “he wanted to fly more than anything.” Minor’s usual beautiful and realistic illustrations effectively convey spatial perspectives and movement, adding depth to the narrative. However, the cover design and type layout are confusing, indicative of a biography instead of an autobiography—a brief intro could have clarified it. Aldrin’s message in an author’s note avows, “If you set your sights high, you may accomplish more than you ever dreamed.” Pair this with Don Brown’s One Giant Step for a child’s-eye view on space exploration. (Flight/space exploration chronology) (Picture book/biography. 6-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-055445-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2005
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by Buzz Aldrin & Marianne Dyson ; illustrated by Bruce Foster
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by Michael Tyler & illustrated by David Lee Csicsko ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2005
An earnest but energetic tribute to diversity, done up with postmodern arrays of smiling, stylized, lozenge-headed children paired to a rollicking celebration of: “Your coffee and cream skin, / your warm cocoa dream skin . . . / Your chocolate chip, double dip sundae supreme skin! / Your marshmallow treat skin, / your spun sugar sweet skin . . . / your cherry topped, candy dropped, frosting complete skin.” Tyler also urges readers to think about the commonality of “The skin that you laugh in; / the skin that you cry in; / the skin that you look to / the sky and ask, ‘Why?’ in.” Though he changes his tone and plies a verbal mallet to drive his point home in the last several verses, the earlier wordplay more than compensates—while glimpses of one child in a wheelchair, and another held by a biracial couple, expand the general theme to encompass more than skin color alone. A sonically playful, if just a bit overlong, alternative to Sheila Hamanaka’s All the Colors of the Earth (1994). (Picture book. 6-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-9759580-0-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Chicago Children’s Museum/IPG
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2005
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by Linsey Davis & Michael Tyler ; illustrated by Lucy Fleming
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