by Grace Easton ; illustrated by Grace Easton ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 19, 2020
A roaring debut.
After Coralie befriends the lion in a traveling circus, the entire troupe spurns its dictatorial ringmaster.
Woods-dwelling Coralie swings from trees and juggles, unbound by rules. She’s “funny and brave and silly and strange” but lonely. When the boisterous little circus arrives, Coralie follows it. The Man in the Big Hat bosses everyone. “Less wobbling!” he tells the high-wire cat. “More bananas!” he shouts to the juggling chimp. When Coralie auditions, Lion roars appreciatively, but the Man in the Big Hat dismisses her tricks as “not good enough,” assigning her instead to be a “human cannonball.” Brave Coralie literally rises to the challenge: Easton frames her in midair, the amazed crowd a sea of faces far below. “ ‘ROAR!’ said Lion, which meant, ‘You were amazing!’ ” But the Man in the Big Hat excoriates her performance, banishing her and ordering the performers back to work: “More tricks! Less smiling! And absolutely no caring about each other!” This time, Lion roars so powerfully that man and hat blow clear away. Easton’s matte illustrations make striking use of red and black for the circus’ excitement. The ferny, blue-green woods and Lion’s radiating mane agreeably evoke earlier artists: John Burningham, Martin and Alice Provensen, even Henri Rousseau. Well-paced and patterned, the narrative offers fully seven opportunities for children to join in with a “ROAR.” Coralie and the Man with the Big Hat both present white; other human performers and the circus’s audience are diverse.
A roaring debut. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 19, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-78603-031-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
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by Kathryn Heling Deborah Hembrook & illustrated by Andy Robert Davies ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2012
Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun.
Heling and Hembrook’s clever conceit challenges children to analyze a small town’s clotheslines to guess the job each of their owners does.
Close-up on the clothesline: “Uniform and cap, / an invite for you. / Big bag of letters. / What job does she do?” A turn of the page reveals a macro view of the home, van and the woman doing her job, “She is a mail carrier.” Indeed, she can be spotted throughout the book delivering invitations to all the rest of the characters, who gather at the end for a “Launch Party.” The verses’ rhymes are spot-on, though the rhythm falters a couple of times. The authors nicely mix up the gender stereotypes often associated with several of these occupations, making the carpenter, firefighter and astronaut women. But while Davies keeps uniforms and props pretty neutral (he even avoids U.S. mail symbols), he keeps to the stereotypes that allow young readers to easily identify occupations—the farmer chews on a stalk of wheat; the beret-wearing artist sports a curly mustache. A subdued palette and plain white backgrounds keep kids’ focus on the clothing clues. Still, there are plenty of details to absorb—the cat with arched back that anticipates a spray of water, the firefighter who “lights” the rocket.
Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-58089-251-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012
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by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies
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by Patricia Toht ; illustrated by Jarvis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 14, 2023
Egg-stra special.
The creators of Pick a Pine Tree (2017) and Pick a Pumpkin (2019) cover each step of a popular Easter tradition.
The first stop for a light-skinned caregiver and child is the farm. Peering into the henhouse, they spot an egg (reminding readers that eggs don’t originate at the grocery store). More eggs are collected throughout the spring countryside and brought home, ready to hard boil. While the eggs are cooling, it’s time to prepare the dye! The lively text highlights natural methods first (“Stew some plants / to make a brew: / beets turn eggs / a rosy hue. / Spinach? Green! / Berries? Blue! / Try some herbs / or spices, too”) but also gives a nod to store-bought kits. After a full day of egg decorating, the youngster wakes up the next morning for a festive neighborhood egg hunt. Happily, treats found inside plastic eggs are not limited to sugar only; they include secret notes, tiny toys, and coins, too. (The child adds their dyed eggs to this bounty.) Sprays of bright greens, a shining sun, and dotted buds on trees as well as pastel bunting and fuzzy bunny ears and flower crowns on little ones bring a light, airy lift to this joyful community gathering. The children involved in the egg hunt are diverse in skin tone. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Egg-stra special. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5362-2847-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
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