Although pushed into retirement by old age, Grandfather and his constant canine companion Roo quickly find themselves thrust back into action onboard the ominously named Unsinkable, in search of the mythical King Cod. Written as a series of short letters to his gender-neutral grandchild and as the Unsinkable’s ship log, Grandfather again finds himself suffering from a bout of bad luck compounded by Roo and her finicky ways, which seem to change with the wind. It isn’t long before the Unsinkable gives the lie to its name and the adventurers find themselves in the titular bind. Black-and-white illustrations are sprinkled throughout, with short quirky annotations from Grandfather that add even more humor and depth to this zany adventure. Packed with silly hijinks and fantastical creatures, this last of the Lasts (The Last Cowboys, 2008, etc.), with its endearing duo of grandfather and Roo, delivers fun for readers new to chapter books. (Fiction. 6-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-56145-439-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2009
This latest Froggy title (Froggy Goes to School, 1996, etc.) is utterly unfocused, with the star careening from soccer dolt to Mr. Superkick. Froggy’s team has a big game coming up with the Wild Things, and he is trying to remember the mantra his father, and assistant coach, taught him: “Head it! Boot it! Knee it! Shoot it! But don’t use your hands!” But illegally touching the ball seems to be the least of Froggy’s worries; distraction is his problem. He is so busy turning cartwheels, tying his shoes, and more, that the only time he makes contact with the ball is when it bounces off his head by mistake. Then, when the Wild Things make a breakaway, Froggy has some dazzling moves to avert a score, but forgetfully grabs the ball at the last second. The other team gets a penalty kick, converts it, but then Froggy makes a field-long kick for a game-winning score. London forces Froggy into too many guises—the fool, the hero, the klutz, the fancy dancer—but none of them stick. Remkiewicz’s illustrations have charm; it is in their appeal that this book will find its audience. (Picture book. 2-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-670-88257-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
From Johnston (An Old Shell, 1999, etc.), poetic phrases that follow a ghostly barn owl through days and nights, suns and moons. Barn owls have been nesting and roosting, hunting and hatching in the barn and its surroundings for as long as the barn has housed spiders, as long as the wheat fields have housed mice, “a hundred years at least.” The repetition of alliterative words and the hushed hues of the watercolors evoke the soundless, timeless realm of the night owl through a series of spectral scenes. Short, staccato strings of verbs describe the age-old actions and cycles of barn owls, who forever “grow up/and sleep/and wake/and blink/and hunt for mice.” Honey-colored, diffused light glows in contrast to the star-filled night scenes of barn owls blinking awake. A glimpse into the hidden campestral world of the elusive barn owl. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-88106-981-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2000
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