Applause for another lovely production from the author-and-illustrator duo.
One of Miss Lina’s nine lovely ballerinas suffers pangs of jealously when casting is announced for The Sleeping Beauty.
Regina falls off balance when the company director holds auditions, resulting in a domino effect for the other eight girls and the one boy, Tony Farina. She and Tony will perform as rats who pull the Bad Fairy’s carriage, while the others will hold aloft garlands as they waltz. Unhappy thoughts fill Regina’s heart and head as she goes to bed. “She wished to waltz, and that was that!” In her dreams, all the girls fall ill and suffer injuries, but dancing their roles is too-too much for poor Regina. She wishes them well and awakens to find her wish has come true. On opening night, all dance with “spirit and heart” and “very pretty poses,” which are followed by a “shower of roses.” Once again, Maccarone has crafted an appealing story in verse. The subject matter turns more serious this time around as Regina visualizes the consequences of her bad feelings and tames them. Davenier’s delicate, pastel-hued illustrations convey Regina's full range of emotions, and a lovely double-page-spread finale depicts an inviting scene from the ballet.
Applause for another lovely production from the author-and-illustrator duo. (glossary of ballet terms, summary of The Sleeping Beauty ballet) (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-250-00580-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 7, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world.
Be a “somebody” who makes a difference!
A Black child witnesses various transgressions over the course of a day. Noticing trash on the walk to the bus stop, the young narrator thinks, “Somebody should do something about that.” Two students push their way ahead of everyone else in order to get good seats on the school bus, prompting the child to muse, “Somebody should speak up about that.” Throughout the day, the child notices examples of bullying and unfairness. These seemingly minor infractions start mounting. Finally, when the protagonist’s teacher tells the students that it’s snack time, the narrator notices that some students don’t have anything to eat. Instead of wishing for a “somebody,” the perceptive pupil realizes, “I am Somebody” and shares food with the others. The epiphany doesn’t stop there. When the narrator arrives home and notices there are toys everywhere but Mom is on a work call, the child responds to Mom’s request for help by cleaning up the mess. Accompanied by simple yet expressive illustrations, this is a loving and much-needed story that encourages kids to make a difference; pair it with Joshunda Sanders’ I Can Write the World (2019), illustrated by Charly Palmer. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9780762480517
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
