Does ninja cat Timmy have what it takes to save the city’s children?
In a steampunk-y town peopled by humans and anthropomorphic animals, orphan cat Timmy and his ragtag group of animal friends find their newest invention stolen by the mean Gribbles, a gang of warthog cousins. Timmy’s about to give up when he meets magical human toymaker Alfred, who gifts Timmy and his friends with everything they need to become ninja crime fighters. With the help of a kitty girl pilot named Flores, the friends uncover the evil plot of the Blue Rabbit, an early creation of Alfred’s that’s turned bad. He’s stealing the laughter of children all over town in hopes of making himself a soul. When Flores is kidnapped, the animal friends spring into action to save the day. Swedish-American artist and designer Tamm’s painterly, full-color illustrations are eye-catching if a bit stiff, though Flores’ exaggerated eyelashes are disappointingly stereotypical. And unfortunately, his prose is twee, clumsy, and full of clichés. In this haphazard tale, underdeveloped characters are given the tools they need to succeed, but they aren’t given the chance thanks to deus ex toymaker. Fortunately, the type is big, the pages are thick, and the illustrations are many, so the book may well draw readers.
More empty calories than full-bodied treat. (Fantasy. 7-9)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-385-74451-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 5, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2015
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Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS
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It’s not truffles but doubloons that tickle this porcine wayfarer’s fancy.
Funke and Meyer make another foray into chapter-book fare after Emma and the Blue Genie (2014). Here, mariner Stout Sam and deckhand Pip eke out a comfortable existence on Butterfly Island ferrying cargo to and fro. Life is good, but it takes an unexpected turn when a barrel washes ashore containing a pig with a skull-and-crossbones pendant around her neck. It soon becomes clear that this little piggy, dubbed Julie, has the ability to sniff out treasure—lots of it—in the sea. The duo is pleased with her skills, but pride goeth before the hog. Stout Sam hands out some baubles to the local children, and his largess attracts the unwanted attention of Barracuda Bill and his nasty minions. Now they’ve pignapped Julie, and it’s up to the intrepid sailors to save the porker and their own bacon. The succinct word count meets the needs of kids looking for early adventure fare. The tale is slight, bouncy, and amusing, though Julie is never the piratical buccaneer the book’s cover seems to suggest. Meanwhile, Meyer’s cheery watercolors are as comfortable diagramming the different parts of a pirate vessel as they are rendering the dread pirate captain himself.
A nifty high-seas caper for chapter-book readers with a love of adventure and a yearning for treasure. (Adventure. 7-9)Pub Date: June 23, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-385-37544-3
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2015
Categories: CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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