A sumptuously illustrated tale pays homage to Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic. While Mayhew (To Sleep, Perchance to Dream, 2001, etc.) loosely refers to the original work, his subtle alterations and embellishments make this a unique extension of Burnett’s story rather than an exact replica. Basking in the warmth of a summer day, Sophie, whose favorite book just happens to contain a secret garden, wishes for a companion. This desire spurs a dream-like sequence where fey woodland creatures lead Sophie on a merry game of seek-and-find, drawing her deeper through the woods. She follows a robin carrying a key to a walled garden, which contains a squirrel frolicking with a hat. Further explorations reveal a lamb carrying a jump rope and a fox playing with a doll. Gathering the playthings, Sophie admonishes the animals, somewhat hopefully, with the refrain “Somebody will be looking for this!” Eventually, she discovers a young girl—and new playmate—named Mary. Mayhew’s exquisitely detailed, full-page illustrations lend an ethereal quality to the outing. Delicate cut-outs in the pages allow readers to glimpse the next clues in Sophie’s sleuthing game, while the soft watercolors capture the lush beauty of a summer garden filled with variegated hues. Waiting for discovery in the intricate paintings are an abundance of whimsical details to delight readers. A lovely seduction to tempt readers to the longer story. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-439-40435-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Chicken House/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2003
A sweet iteration of the “Big Bad Wolf Mellows Out” theme. Here, an old wolf does some soul searching and then learns to like vegetable stew after a half-frozen lamb appears on his doorstep, falls asleep in his arms, then wakes to give him a kiss. “I can’t eat a lamb who needs me! I might get heartburn!” he concludes. Clad in striped leggings and a sleeveless pullover decorated with bands of evergreens, the wolf comes across as anything but dangerous, and the lamb looks like a human child in a fleecy overcoat. No dreams are likely to be disturbed by this book, but hardened members of the Oshkosh set might prefer the more credible predators and sense of threat in John Rocco’s Wolf! Wolf! (March 2007) or Delphine Perrot’s Big Bad Wolf and Me (2006). (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-58925-067-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2007
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Totes adorbs.
A cuddly, squishy pug’s puggy-wuggy diary.
Equipped with both #pugunicorn and #pughotdog outfits, pug Baron von Bubbles (aka Bub) is the kind of dog that always dresses to impress. Bub also makes lots of memorable faces, such as the “Hey, you’re not the boss of me!” expression aimed at Duchess, the snooty pink house cat. Some of Bub’s favorite things include skateboarding, a favorite teddy, and eating peanut butter. Bub also loves Bella, who adopted Bub from a fair—it was “love at first sniff.” Together, Bub and Bella do a lot of arts and crafts. Their latest project: entering Bella’s school’s inventor challenge by making a super-duper awesome rocket. But, when the pesky neighborhood squirrel, Nutz, makes off with Bub’s bear, Bub accidentally ruins their project. How will they win the contest? More importantly, how will Bella ever forgive him? May’s cutesy, full-color cartoon art sets the tone for this pug-tastic romp for the new-to–chapter-books crowd. Emojilike faces accentuate Bub’s already expressive character design. Bub’s infectious first-person narration pushes the silly factor off the charts. In addition to creating the look and feel of a diary, the lined paper helps readers follow the eight-chapter story. Most pages have fewer than five sentences, often broken into smaller sections. Additional text appears in color-coded speech bubbles. Bella presents white.
Totes adorbs. (Fiction. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-53003-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
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