Despite a repetitive start, this debut packs a double punch modeling the experimental process while spotlighting an...
Loosely based on the life of Yi Sun-Sin, a Korean admiral in the 1500s, the story of an inquisitive boy who takes inspiration from his pet turtle to design an iconic battle ship.
Sun-Sin and his pet turtle, Gobugi, are introduced with somewhat copious use of their names: “Sun-sin and Gobugi relaxed in the garden. Gobugi snacked on lettuce while Sun-sin watched ships sail across the sea. Sun-sin would tell Gobugi how he wished to explore the world and visit different lands.” Thankfully both the plot and choice of pronouns quickly diversify when the king announces an open contest to design a new battleship, with a rich prize and a naval commission for the winner. Rhee economically narrates Sun-sin’s many trials and errors until the boy finally realizes the advantages of Gobugi’s natural adaptations and presents his ideas to court. Despite initial resistance and mockery, the royal court witness Gobugi’s natural defenses in action against a cat and commissions the titular Turtle Ship. The splendor of Kong-Savage’s paper collages adds to the storytelling with rich overlapping compositions and patterns. The subsequent successes of Adm. Yi Sun-Sin and his Turtle Ships are rendered beautifully in thoughtfully composed land- and seascapes.
Despite a repetitive start, this debut packs a double punch modeling the experimental process while spotlighting an intriguing historical figure and his warcraft. (afterword, author’s note, illustrator’s note) (Picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: June 5, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-88500-890-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Shen's Books/Lee & Low
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2018
A vivid and informative, if limited, tale about Brazil for young readers.
This third installment of a children’s book series follows a family on a trip to Rio de Janeiro.
Sometimes dreams become reality. When Mori dreams of traveling to Brazil on vacation, he wakes up to find out that he; his sister, Valencia; and his parents really are going there in less than a week. Their trip is frantic from the get-go, as they oversleep and almost miss their flight from Atlanta. They barely stop to rest upon arrival in Rio and instead choose to go straight to the beach. Their trip is marked by nonstop tourism as they visit local landmarks and learn about Brazil’s Indigenous history. There is something for everyone: a museum trip about Brazil’s history of colonization by the Portuguese, a venture into the Amazon rainforest to see the animals, and a front-row seat at Carnival. But despite the novel’s title, it does not demonstrate an actual exchange of cultures: Readers simply follow Mori and his family as they tour Rio and its surroundings. Godoy’s story is fairly devoid of plot but makes a special effort to make every moment teachable and includes an emphasis on the Indigenous cultures of Brazil. Punctuating the tale from time to time are Lim’s black-and-white illustrations, which are light on artistic details but nonetheless convey a certain brightness and energy through the characters’ facial expressions. There is neither backmatter citing sources for the story’s facts nor avenues for further exploration for readers interested in Brazil. Some facts, such as “The people in Brazil totally respect” the statue called Christ the Redeemer and “most of them, especially the Christians, see Christ as the Savior of the world,” beg for supporting evidence. But families willing to overlook this may use this bookas an introduction for early elementary school kids to this South American nation. They may also appreciate the emphasis on the African diaspora; Mori and his family are Black Americans.
A vivid and informative, if limited, tale about Brazil for young readers.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9780999473443
Page Count: 70
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A charming and simply told story with a clear message.
An illustrated children’s tale of one cat’s adventure in the big city and the lessons she learned along the way.
Bunny, a feline, lives a charmed life in a posh Manhattan apartment alongside her owners—a nice couple who adopted her from the local animal shelter. Bunny soon makes friends with Mike the Mouse, who decides to make the hole that he’s nibbled in a closet wall big enough for Bunny to slip through—and their adventures begin. But soon Bunny sees a photo caption in a copy of the New York Times that really disturbs her: “Central Park carriage horse ‘Joe,’ one of several allegedly mistreated by its driver.” Bunny doesn’t know what alleged means, but the rest of the sentence is clear enough, so she decides to help Joe escape his situation. With the help of Mike the Mouse, Polly the Pigeon, and various other friends she meets along the way, Bunny finally gets to Central Park to make her daring rescue. Over the course of Bloom’s book, Bunny embodies the idea that small creatures can do great things; for example, when Joe the Carriage Horse expresses disbelief that Bunny can help him, the plucky cat reminds him that she’s “a tiny thing who’s very determined.” Young readers will likely find that determination to be contagious, and it may appeal to even the tiniest animal lovers. The book’s simple prose and Mayell’s eye-catching ink-and-watercolor illustrations make the most out of a minimalist color palette; Bunny’s dark black fur and bright green eyes are prominent as the most richly drawn images in every blue-tinged picture.
A charming and simply told story with a clear message.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9780997642537
Page Count: 74
Publisher: Positivity Publishing LLC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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