Shelve this bonbon with Edward Gorey.
A tale of trickery takes an extra left turn.
Old Misery is a small, stooped, elderly woman with bug eyes, skinny limbs, a granny cap, and bulbous jowls that don’t droop. She narrates: “Ain’t got two pennies to rub together. Ain’t got nothing except old Rutterkin here, and she’s about as worthless as a dog with fleas.” Rutterkin’s a black cat whose head and ears form a sideways crescent. But Old Misery has one other thing: an apple tree, perched atop an exaggeratedly steep hill. Ayto’s mostly black-and-white pencil drawings use lines ranging from severe and chaotic to gentle; gentlest are the fine, tiny, checkered crosshatchings that make up the hill and sky. Misery’s skin is the flat white of the paper; only the apples are red, emphasizing their centrality. The tree would feed Misery “if it weren’t for the wicked stealing”: Children, animals, and adults, including “the local vicar looking mighty wiffy-waffy,” all raid it. An archetypal stranger visits and grants a wish, allowing Misery to solve her apple problem creatively. When Mr. Death arrives, skull-faced, wearing a top hat and tails, can she best him too? Yes, but there’s a second twist, enacting sweet revenge in a way that’s totally accessible to the younger set.
Shelve this bonbon with Edward Gorey. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77138-823-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2018
An important story about racial injustice but not one that’s likely to have a long stay on the read-again shelf.
A small child struggles to make sense of a scary event.
The day starts out normally for a young African American girl. She has breakfast, feeds her pets, and sets about preparing for school. Then her dad shares news that turns her world upside down: The police have “killed another Black person.” Sarah and her dad leave the house and join a protest where Sarah witnesses a White policeman’s anger and cruelty toward a butterfly, which she rescues. Despite the worrisome events of the day—at one point Sarah gets lost amid the crowd of protesters—she proves that her resilience is as strong as that of the butterfly, which lives to see another day and to “fly far away from anyone who would hurt it.” The symbolism is unmistakable—Sarah’s dad is teaching her that it is possible to overcome whatever life throws at you. The author has some powerhouse credentials as an anti-racist activist. However, despite the sweet bond between father and daughter and the vivid illustrations, the story feels jarring and will be upsetting to children. It’s a tough read for young minds but may be a necessary one during times of strife. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An important story about racial injustice but not one that’s likely to have a long stay on the read-again shelf. (author’s note, suggestion list, discussion guide) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: May 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5064-7835-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Skip this stretch of a story and seek out stronger friendship titles instead.
Necks come in many sizes, and sometimes those sizes seem inconvenient.
Edward the giraffe is unhappy about his neck. It’s so…“necky.” Despite fancy adornments and multiple attempts to hide, Edward is unable to accept his longest-lasting problem—his neck. That is, until he meets his complete opposite: a turtle named Cyrus whose problem is also his neck. It’s too short. He desperately wants a banana but can’t reach it. Together they solve each other’s problems and delight in each other’s strengths, thereby also learning to accept themselves as just right. Smith’s artwork is eye-catching and expressive, with a retro feel, using earth tones and geometric shapes to evoke texture and dimension. The story, though lively, does not soar as high as Edward’s neck, remaining earthbound due to well-worn tropes and a too-tidy ending. Additionally, the author has missed out on a STEM opportunity by failing to introduce animal nomenclature, simply labeling the animals Edward believes are staring at him (a warthog, a crocodile, and other animals) as simply “This guy,” “That guy,” and so forth. A clever bit of paper engineering does enable readers to take part in the story for a brief moment. Learning to appreciate one’s body in all its complicated and even ungainly forms is a laudable moral—one that should hide itself behind a more original story.
Skip this stretch of a story and seek out stronger friendship titles instead. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-7203-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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