by Guido van Genechten ; illustrated by Guido van Genechten ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 9, 2016
Genuine self-confidence, humility, and a sense of wonder: bravo, Tito.
Being a magician is no easy trick. It hinges on one of the human qualities that’s most difficult to achieve.
Tito is a little moon-headed, white fellow who works at the circus as a clown. Tito loves to watch Manu the magician perform. With just a sprinkling of magic dust and a wave of his wand, the white performer conjures a chicken from his hat, a bouquet from his sleeve. Manu is cool as a cucumber, sporting a snappy goatee and a fine smile. Tito sports a powder-white mouth, a pair of pants like a barrel, a comically tiny hat, and a great, red beezer as round as his head. Back in his trailer, Tito attempts Manu’s tricks, but all he pulls from his hat is air. He cautiously approaches Manu. “Would you teach me how to do magic tricks, Mister Manu?” he shyly asks. “Of course, Tito.” Manu instructs Tito to observe closely as he throws the dust, waves the wand, speaks abracadabra, and—hey presto!—he pulls a rabbit from his top hat. Then comes the crux: “Well, Tito, did you see what I did?” Tito’s not sure. Manu continues: “You have to believe that you can do it….Only then will the magic work.” That night, at Manu’s invitation, moon-head Tito pulls a rabbit from the top hat.
Genuine self-confidence, humility, and a sense of wonder: bravo, Tito. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-60537-256-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clavis
Review Posted Online: June 27, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...
Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.
Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0237-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
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