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GIVE A GOAT

Name: GIVE A GOAT
Author: Jan West Schrock
ISBN: 978-0-88448-301-4

by Jan West Schrock & illustrated by Aileen Darragh ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 15, 2008

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Schrock, a former teacher and now a senior advisor to Heifer International, piggybacks on Page McBrier’s Beatrice’s Goat (2001) and imagines what some ordinary fifth graders might do when they hear it. Mrs. Rowell has no way of knowing that her rainy-day read-aloud would cause such a stir. But Beatrice’s tale gets the entire class shouting, “We want to give a goat!” They work together, arrive at a plan and practice their math skills by running a healthy-snack stand for the teachers. In the end, they have enough to buy a goat and some poultry—and they inspire other classrooms to make a difference as well. Darragh’s swifty, sketchy watercolors depict ordinary, multiethnic students working together, while in the background a goat waits to be sent to her new family. Her playful illustration of the animals’ transportation will have children in stitches. Although some spreads are text-heavy, it’s a great choice for classrooms interested in learning about philanthropy, or for any group of children who needs reassurance that yes, they can make a difference. (Picture book. 6-10)

Pub Date: June 15, 2008

ISBN: 978-0-88448-301-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tilbury House

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2008

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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WILD, WILD WOLVES

by Joyce Milton & illustrated by Larry Schwinger ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1992

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At ``Step 2'' in the useful ``Step into Reading'' series: an admirably clear, well-balanced presentation that centers on wolves' habits and pack structure. Milton also addresses their endangered status, as well as their place in fantasy, folklore, and the popular imagination. Attractive realistic watercolors on almost every page. Top-notch: concise, but remarkably extensive in its coverage. A real bargain. (Nonfiction/Easy reader. 6-10)

Pub Date: April 1, 1992

ISBN: 0-679-91052-2

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
DINOSAUR DAYS
by Joyce Milton ; illustrated by Franco Tempesta

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RIVER STORY

by Meredith Hooper & illustrated by Bee Willey ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2000

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Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)