Embellishing colorplates that appeared in a 1990 calendar, and with his tongue resolutely in cheek, Base (The Sign of the Seahorse, 1992, etc.) narrates a mock-scientific treatise on serpentology in the voice of Victorian scientist Rowland W. Greasebeam, B.Sc., F.R.Aud., who claims to have located original letters (``from a variety of sources that propriety demands must remain confidential'') proving the discovery of dragons by a ninth- century Viking, a thirteenth-century Chinese maiden, and a fellow Victorian naturalist. In an oversize format, the letters appear as facsimiles, accompanied by spectacular full-color paintings of the dragons, with editorial notes, plate captions, maps, and scale drawings that compare the dragon in question to a horse, a mouse, an elephant, or—in one case—a human beating a quick retreat. Greasebeam's stuffy self-importance provides much of the fun; especially hilarious are references to his rival, Professor Marty Fibblewitz, that demonstrate in only slightly exaggerated form the legendary infighting among academics. The letters are full of silly details, such as this line in Viking Bjorn's letterhead: ``General Looting and Pillaging, Gratuitous Violence a Specialty.'' A cartoon sequence at the bottom of the spreads illustrates the ``plot'' of each letter and offers children a chance to read between the lines for funny subplots. Throughout, Base speaks for the scientists, author, editors, and the publisher, with wit that is accessible to children and that cannot be ignored by adults. A humorous, self-referential tour de force with resplendent illustrations. (Author tour) (Picture book. 10+)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8109-3237-7
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An author accustomed to dealing with serious topics (You Shouldn't Have to Say Good-bye, 1982) takes up the subject of children abandoned by their parents. When their mother, tired of raising them alone, runs off to become a dancer, Mary Belle, 11, takes over caring for their home in the rural South and little sister Callie while older brother Ariel supports them with his service station job. Their main concern is avoiding foster care, which was forced on them once before, when their mother broke down after their father left. Therefore, they are dismayed when elderly black neighbor Amarius and his grand-niece Miss Dearly Aikens notice their situation and want to help. It takes Callie's tragic illness to force Mary Belle to come to terms with her mother's actions and her own need to rely on the kindness of caring friends. Mary Belle's narration, while poignant and truly felt, moves slowly and has a predictable outcome. Unfortunately, her unique voice doesn't compensate for the melodramatic plot or the slight characterizations. (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-316-35861-4
Page Count: 168
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An author of over 60 YA novels brings fine narrative skill to a sympathetic portrait of one of her greatest predecessors. Much has been added to the record since the 1933 publication of Meigs's well-researched but traditional biography, the Newbery-winning Invincible Louisa. Alcott's letters and journals, several collections of the ``thrillers'' that kept the family pot boiling, and a novel whose genesis was ruefully described in Little Women have been recently published; scholarly studies point out the extent to which the author's autobiographical fiction was an unrealistic reformulation of a difficult life and of a gifted but impossible family (especially her improvident philosopher father). Johnston, bless her, succeeds in reconciling the loving family in Little Women with the facts of Alcott's rich but extraordinarily demanding life. She posits that, though Bronson Alcott was indeed a remarkably innovative educator as well as an eminent scholar, it was her mother, Abba May Alcott, who most profoundly influenced Louisa. Pioneer social worker and sometimes, of necessity, family breadwinner, she was, like Louisa, an outstandingly courageous, independent, yet nurturing woman, deeply loved though not so unrealistically patient as ``Marmee.'' Good as it was, Meigs's book seemed colorless compared to Alcott's fiction. Johnston—by depicting the real life in all its complexity while showing the many links with the fiction—not only enriches understanding of Alcott's books but also paints a fascinating picture of her life. A must. Bibliography; photos and index not seen. (Biography. 12+)
Pub Date: Oct. 30, 1991
ISBN: 0-02-747705-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Four Winds/MacMillan
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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