A solid debut from a promising author, fit to be read aloud or devoured by young readers.
A little girl rescues a wounded bird, discovering both the joy and responsibility of caring for and letting go her new best friend in this debut chapter book.
Molly, almost 9 years old, lives for Sundays, the day she wakes at dawn and has breakfast in the backyard with the birds. Her mom and dad call her Molly Sunday in tribute. She and her little brother, Fred, or Ferd, as she calls him, who’s 6, live with their veterinarian parents but have no interest in owning any pets. That is, until they both witness a cardinal with a broken wing take a tumble from the top of Ferd’s treehouse in their backyard. From that moment on, the race is on to be the best caretaker of the injured bird, dubbed “Flappy” by Molly. Ferd is quickly intimidated, but Molly finds her niche in watching over Flappy. From adding vitamins to his water to trying to sneak a kiss without being pecked, Molly loves her new job. She becomes so enamored she even causes a rift between her and her best friend when she tries to keep Flappy completely to herself. Molly and Ferd learn many lessons during their short time with Flappy, far beyond just how to care for him. The cardinal teaches the duo how to empathize and how to be better friends. When it’s time to let Flappy go, Molly must learn the true meaning of the old adage, “If you love something, set it free.” Hyman channels both Molly’s and Ferd’s voices with ease; both leap off the page with the realistic highs and lows of boisterous children. The fast tempo and brightness of the prose makes for a quick, joyful read. Lovers of Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series will delight in this reality-based, exuberant chapter book. The inconsistent appearance of the illustrations may be due to the fact that various friends of the author drew them, but the artwork still adds character to each chapter.
A solid debut from a promising author, fit to be read aloud or devoured by young readers.Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4525-8455-3
Page Count: 216
Publisher: BalboaPress
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
