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GRUMP

Name: GRUMP
Author: Janet S. Wong
ISBN: 0-689-83485-3

by Janet S. Wong & illustrated by John Wallace ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2001

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A weary mom and her tireless tot are the subject of Wong’s (This Next New Year, 2000, etc.) humorous and poignant tale. The scenario is familiar: a mom, tired and slightly crabby, eagerly awaits baby’s naptime. However, her energetic infant has other ideas. Lunch becomes a science experiment as baby mixes this and that, eventually deciding to wear the concoction rather than eat it. After an exasperated Mom cleans up, she marches baby upstairs for a nap. Naturally, just as mother reaches the nursery door, baby awakens. The conclusion is predictable—at least for sleep-deprived parents—and the mother falls asleep reading baby a story while baby remains cheerfully awake . . . until snuggling up on her lap for a comfy snooze. Wong hits upon a universal truth of motherhood: as mom’s energy wanes, baby’s waxes accordingly. Her short, gently repetitive verses neatly capture the swinging moods between infant and parent. Although young children are unlikely to catch the wry humor, beleaguered mommies may appreciate the jests. Wong’s imagery has high giggle appeal for gleeful tots, making the poetry accessible for the littlest listener: “Mommy’s stomping / Jumping, chomping / Long arms dragging like a chimp.” Wallace’s watercolors adroitly capture the nuances of the story, depicting both the increasingly frenzied dismay of mom as well as the sweeter, more sentimental moments. An enjoyable romp for little ones and a compassionate reassurance for their exhausted parents. (Picture book. 2-5)

Pub Date: March 1, 2001

ISBN: 0-689-83485-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: McElderry

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2001

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
ME AND ROLLY MALOO
by Janet S. Wong & illustrated by Elizabeth Buttler

- BOOK REVIEW
HOMEGROWN HOUSE
by Janet S. Wong and illustrated by E.B. Lewis

- BOOK REVIEW
MINN AND JAKE’S ALMOST TERRIBLE SUMMER
by Janet S. Wong & illustrated by Geneviève Côté

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UMBRELLA

by Taro Yashima ; illustrated by Taro Yashima ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1958

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Momo longed to carry the blue umbrella and wear the bright red rubber boots she had been given on her third birthday. But day after day Indian summer continued. Momo tried to tell mother she needed to carry the umbrella to nursery school because the sunshine bothered her eyes. But Mother didn't let her use the umbrella then or when she said the wind bothered her. At last, though, rain fell on the city pavements and Momo carried her umbrella and wore her red boots to school. One feels the urgency of Momo's wish. The pictures are full of the city's moods and the child's joy in a rainy day.

Pub Date: March 1, 1958

ISBN: 978-0-14-050240-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Dec. 9, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1958

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

THE THREE LITTLE SUPERPIGS AND THE GINGERBREAD MAN

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THE THREE LITTLE SUPERPIGS AND THE GINGERBREAD MAN

by Claire Evans ; illustrated by Claire Evans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2022

Superheroes, and readers, will live happily-ever-after.

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Why have fairy tales lasted so long? Maybe it’s because they change with every teller.

It takes surprisingly little effort to turn the Three Little Pigs into superheroes. The Big Bad Wolf basically started out as a supervillain, with the ability to blow a house down, and the pigs had to perform spectacular feats to outwit him. In this picture book, the wolf, locked in the Happily Never After tower, devises a plot to escape. Using rotten eggs and spicy ginger, he creates the Gingerbread Man, who makes his way to a baking contest where the three pigs and other fairy-tale characters are competing to win the key to the city. The Gingerbread Man grabs the key, and not even superhero pigs are fast enough to catch him, but with their secret weapon—mustard (which one of the pigs also uses to bake cookies)—they save the day. The morals: Evil never triumphs, and mustard cookies are delicious. The book’s charm is in the details. There are splotches of mustard on the cookies featured on the endpapers, and a sly-looking mouse is hiding on many of the pages. The story even manages to include more than a dozen fairy-tale figures without seeming frenzied. Evans’ use of shading is so skillful that it almost seems possible to reach out and touch the characters. Most of the human characters are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Superheroes, and readers, will live happily-ever-after. (Picture book. 3-5)