A creative, playful tale about the fate of missing socks.
A child’s sock encounters some surprising adventures in debut author Werchinski-Yates’ delightful picture book.
The future looks grim for Andy the sock when a mistake at the factory leaves him missing several stitches. But he’s in luck: The Baby Sock Maker stitches him up with an unusual stripe of pale blue thread. The blue stitches quickly distinguish him as a lucky sock when he arrives at the home of Joey Abernathy and his family, and the bonds he shares with his fellow socks make for plenty of giggles and good times. Life as a sock can be tough, though. Yet no matter if it’s sweaty feet, static cling or the ever present danger of the Abernathys’ puppy, Andy meets the challenges of his new life with an upbeat attitude and a relentless sense of fun. However, there’s one obstacle Andy can’t seem to overcome: The blue thread holding him together is falling out, and he’s in danger of being thrown out if the hole gets too big. He’s heard rumors of a “secret sock club” in which socks can seek refuge, but he must find it before it’s too late—and his friends may be counting on him to save the day. Perfect for anyone who wonders where lost socks go, this quirky, endearing story is sure to charm young readers. The satisfying plot hits the tried-and-true notes of a winning children’s book—Andy’s initial rejection, strong friendships, an ability to save the day—but the length and large amount of text per page make this a cumbersome read-aloud and a challenging independent read for young children. For those who can persevere, though, this whimsical take on the life of a sock becomes a memorable, entertaining read held together by gentle humor.
A creative, playful tale about the fate of missing socks.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9855689-9-3
Page Count: 29
Publisher: Lucky Sock Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.
In Florence’s middle-grade fantasy novel, a young girl’s heart is tested in the face of an evil, spreading Darkness.
Eleven-year-old Lydia, “freckle-cheeked and round-eyed, with hair the color of pine bark and fair skin,” is struggling with the knowledge that she has reached the age to apprentice as an herbalist. Lydia is reluctant to leave her beloved, magical Mulberry Glen and her cozy Housetree in the woods—she’ll miss Garder, the Glen’s respected philosopher; her fairy guardian Pit; her human friend Livy; and even the mischievous part-elf, part-imp, part-human twins Zale and Zamilla. But the twins go missing after hearing of a soul-sapping Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds and engulfing entire towns. They have secretly left to find a rare fruit that, it is said, will stop the Darkness if thrown into the heart of the mountain that rises out of the lethal forest. Lydia follows, determined to find the twins before they, too, fall victim to the Darkness. During her journey, accompanied by new friends, she gradually realizes that she herself has a dangerous role to play in the quest to stop the Darkness. In this well-crafted fantasy, Florence skillfully equates the physical manifestation of Darkness with the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness that Lydia first struggles with when thinking of leaving the Glen. Such negative thoughts grow more intrusive the closer she and her friends come to the Darkness—and to Lydia’s ultimate, powerfully rendered test of character, which leads to a satisfyingly realistic, not quite happily-ever-after ending. Highlights include a delightfully haunting, reality-shifting library and a deft sprinkling of Latin throughout the text; Pit’s pet name for Lydia is mea flosculus (“my little flower”). Fine-lined ink drawings introducing each chapter add a pleasing visual element to this well-grounded fairy tale.
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781956393095
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Waxwing Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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