Annie is a “kind but scatterbrained” owl who enjoys doing new things. Knitting is her latest accomplishment, and balls and balls of bright, pastel yarn on the endpapers attest to that. Annie is skillful but, sadly, unappreciated by her parliament of fellow owls. She knits transportation—hot-air balloon, sail and parachute (actually a kind of hang glider in the illustrations)—and knits in turn for animals in the rainforest, on the African plains and in the Arctic (where, alarmingly, penguins share ice floes with polar bears and walruses). As she searches for creatures that truly need her “nifty knitwear,” she runs out of yarn and misses her fellow owls. Arriving home on her own wings, she finds the parliament bedecked in her woolens and longing to learn to knit. As they knit, she tells them tales of her travels. This might be a lead-in to art, nature and geography units, provided the presence of the penguins is corrected by a teacher. Annie’s enthusiasm is infectious, but given the story’s flaws, it merits consideration only as an additional purchase. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7613-6444-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lerner
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2010
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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A mysterious love letter brightens the lives of three forest animals.
Appealing mixed-media illustrations made of ink, gouache, brush marker, and colored pencil combine with a timely message that one kind act can start a chain reaction of kindness. When Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel stumble in turn upon a formally composed love letter, each finds their life improved: Squirrel is less anxious, Bunny spreads goodwill through helpfulness, and Hedgehog is unusually cheerful. As the friends converge to try to discover who sent the letter, the real author appears in a (rather) convenient turn: a mouse who wrote an ode to the moon. Though disappointed that the letter was never meant for them, the friends reflect that the letter still made the world a happier place, making it a “wonderful mix-up.” Since there’s a lot of plot to follow, the book will best serve more-observant readers who are able to piece the narrative cleanly, but those older readers may also better appreciate the special little touches, such as the letter’s enticing, old-fashioned typewriter-style look, vignettes that capture small moments, or the subdued color palette that lends an elegant air. Drawn with minimalist, scribbly lines, the creatures achieve an invigorating balance between charming and spontaneous, with smudged lines that hint at layers of fur and simple, dotted facial expressions.
A sweet and far-from-cloying ode to love. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-274157-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A porcine hoarder of books learns to read—and to share.
The Book Hog’s obsession is clear from the start. Short declarative sentences describe his enthusiasm (“The Book Hog loved books”), catalog the things he likes about the printed page, and eventually reveal his embarrassing secret (“He didn’t know how to read”). While the text is straightforward, plenty of amusing visual details will entertain young listeners. A picture of the Book Hog thumbing through a book while seated on the toilet should induce some giggles. The allusive name of a local bookshop (“Wilbur’s”) as well as the covers of a variety of familiar and much-loved books (including some of the author’s own) offer plenty to pore over. And the fact that the titles become legible only after our hero learns to read is a particularly nice touch. A combination of vignettes, single-page illustrations and double-page spreads that feature Pizzoli’s characteristic style—heavy black outlines, a limited palette of mostly salmon and mint green, and simple shapes—move the plot along briskly. Librarians will appreciate the positive portrayal of Miss Olive, an elephant who welcomes the Book Hog warmly to storytime, though it’s unlikely most will be able to match her superlative level of service.
There’s nothing especially new here, but the good-natured celebration of books, reading, and libraries will charm fellow bibliophiles, and the author’s fans will enjoy making another anthropomorphic animal friend. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-368-03689-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Nov. 12, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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