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NOAH'S ARK

Name: NOAH'S ARK
Author: Heinz Janisch
ISBN: 1-55858-784-5

adapted by Heinz Janisch & translated by Rosemary Lanning & illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1997

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This unusual telling of a familiar story begins lyrically: ``It came to pass in the days when giants strode the earth and were heroes among men, God saw that His people had grown wicked. They thought only of war and destruction. And God was angry.'' Beyond that, the text is negligible, a frame to showcase Zwerger's art. She finds whimsy in the suits, pillbox hats, and black umbrellas that adorn Noah and his family; in scenes of the animals that were left behind (among them, the satyr and the unicorn); and in the paintings of enormous fish swimming in and out of submerged houses. The watercolors effectively portray reflections of people and the ark mirrored in blue and silvery grey water. Elsewhere, Zwerger presents labeled plates of the pairs of animals, reminiscent of an Audubon notebook. Eccentric, if not cohesive, and appealing. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1997

ISBN: 1-55858-784-5

Page Count: 26

Publisher: NorthSouth

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1997

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S RELIGION

- BOOK REVIEW
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
by Heinz Janisch ; illustrated by Maja Kastelic ; translated by David Henry Wilson

- BOOK REVIEW
HERE COMES RHINOCEROS
by Heinz Janisch ; illustrated by Helga Bansch ; translated by Evan Jones

- BOOK REVIEW
THE KING AND THE SEA
by Heinz Janisch ; illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch ; translated by Sally-Ann Spencer

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HENRY AND MUDGE AND THE STARRY NIGHT

From the Henry and Mudge series

by Cynthia Rylant & illustrated by Sucie Stevenson ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1998

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Rylant (Henry and Mudge and the Sneaky Crackers, 1998, etc.) slips into a sentimental mode for this latest outing of the boy and his dog, as she sends Mudge and Henry and his parents off on a camping trip. Each character is attended to, each personality sketched in a few brief words: Henry's mother is the camping veteran with outdoor savvy; Henry's father doesn't know a tent stake from a marshmallow fork, but he's got a guitar for campfire entertainment; and the principals are their usual ready-for-fun selves. There are sappy moments, e.g., after an evening of star- gazing, Rylant sends the family off to bed with: ``Everyone slept safe and sound and there were no bears, no scares. Just the clean smell of trees . . . and wonderful green dreams.'' With its nice tempo, the story is as toasty as its campfire and swaddled in Stevenson's trusty artwork. (Fiction. 6-8)

Pub Date: April 1, 1998

ISBN: 0-689-81175-6

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1998

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
A BOOK OF LOVES
by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Cynthia Rylant

- BOOK REVIEW
HORNBEAM BY AND LARGE
by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Arthur Howard

- BOOK REVIEW
HORNBEAM GETS IT DONE
by Cynthia Rylant ; illustrated by Arthur Howard

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HELLO, SUN!

by Lala Watkins ; illustrated by Lala Watkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 2025

Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!

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Fun with friends makes for a great day.

Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”

Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)