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SLEEPLESS KNIGHT

From the Adventures in Cartooning series

The Knight decides to take his trusty steed, Edward, on an overnight camping trip. The nutty Knight loads Edward with...

How is a Knight supposed to fall asleep without his beloved teddy bear?

The Knight decides to take his trusty steed, Edward, on an overnight camping trip. The nutty Knight loads Edward with everything but the kitchen sink (but does make sure to include a ukulele, a scooter and a box of rocks). Finally, the pair sets up camp—complete with a cozy-looking pink tent—and after feasting on delicious marshmallows, calls it a night. But while Edward promptly falls asleep, the Knight cannot! Upon discovering that his favorite teddy is missing, the Knight determines to find him. Seeking help from a rabbit, the Knight is led to a bear—but not the soft, cuddly one he was expecting! Eventually, all are reunited, and a forest frolic follows. This simply drawn charmer features illustrations with smooth, rounded edges, cleanly boxed into a clearly delineated panel structure. The small cast (just four characters) and economy of words make for an engaging and easy flow for beginning readers. Those interested in taking the experience one step further can follow the endpaper instructions for drawing the four main characters and making up their own stories about the Knight and his friends. This Knight may be sleepless, but he certainly does shine. (Graphic early reader. 4-7)

This Knight may be sleepless, but he certainly does shine(Graphic early reader. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 14, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-59643-651-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: First Second

Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

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MANGO, ABUELA, AND ME

This warm family story is a splendid showcase for the combined talents of Medina, a Pura Belpré award winner, and Dominguez,...

Abuela is coming to stay with Mia and her parents. But how will they communicate if Mia speaks little Spanish and Abuela, little English? Could it be that a parrot named Mango is the solution?

The measured, evocative text describes how Mia’s español is not good enough to tell Abuela the things a grandmother should know. And Abuela’s English is too poquito to tell Mia all the stories a granddaughter wants to hear. Mia sets out to teach her Abuela English. A red feather Abuela has brought with her to remind her of a wild parrot that roosted in her mango trees back home gives Mia an idea. She and her mother buy a parrot they name Mango. And as Abuela and Mia teach Mango, and each other, to speak both Spanish and English, their “mouths [fill] with things to say.” The accompanying illustrations are charmingly executed in ink, gouache, and marker, “with a sprinkling of digital magic.” They depict a cheery urban neighborhood and a comfortable, small apartment. Readers from multigenerational immigrant families will recognize the all-too-familiar language barrier. They will also cheer for the warm and loving relationship between Abuela and Mia, which is evident in both text and illustrations even as the characters struggle to understand each other. A Spanish-language edition, Mango, Abuela, y yo, gracefully translated by Teresa Mlawer, publishes simultaneously.

This warm family story is a splendid showcase for the combined talents of Medina, a Pura Belpré award winner, and Dominguez, an honoree. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-7636-6900-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015

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