Music is the universal solvent of socioeconomic and geopolitical barriers. You may come from the meadow, like a soft-pink bunny named Hop, or you may come from the heart of the swamp, like an algae-green turtle named Hip, but if your game is rapping, you’ll find a way, together, to rock the party. Hip and Hop are budding rappers, albeit with different styles; true to their natures, Hip’s raps are slow and Hop’s raps are like missiles. They combine forces to play off their strengths and weaknesses and win the neighborhood rap contest. Czekaj has produced a good-spirited, high-octane read-aloud. A river of brotherhood runs through the proceedings, and the artwork is particularly friendly, with both Hip and Hop sporting great pollywog heads. The rhymes, however, are what send this tale careening along: “Listen to the drums / and listen to the basses. / I’ve got buck teeth, / but I don’t need braces.” Readers can set the lyrics to their own kind of music, engage with poetry and the written word and maybe experience a little of that universal harmony. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4231-1664-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Jan. 6, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2010
A group of farm animals is drawn together by an unusually bright star shining over a stable in their neighborhood in this sentimental Nativity story. The narrative focuses on a gray kitten who is tenderly cared for by his mother in their home in a barn. They follow the other animals to the stable under the star, and as a group they enter and stand before the straw-filled manger in the final spread. The kitten describes his great happiness at this special baby, but unfortunately the baby is not shown in the illustration, which may leave readers confused and dissatisfied. Though Mendez’s large-format illustrations are appealing and the simple story is accessible to preschoolers, the ending demonstrates a lack of knowledge of the needs of this age group, who need to see to believe. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-545-10486-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2009
It’s a lucky thing indeed that this book is as great a joy to read aloud as it is.
One duck’s luck is another wolf’s disaster in this tale of tragedy averted.
Right from the start, Susan is convinced that she is by far the unluckiest of ducks, since the roller skates she ordered turned out to be two sizes too big. Just at that moment, however, a well-dressed wolf appears at her door, informing her that she’s the winner of a big beautiful soup pot. And so it goes: Each time Susan feels that her luck’s run out, the wolf reappears with some new (and edible) soup-related prize. Long before poor Susan does, kids will realize the price of the wolf’s gifts. Still, when the finale arrives, it turns out that each “unlucky” thing to happen to Susan helps her to survive another day. Sharp-eyed readers may notice a tiny bug responsible for at least two of Susan’s missing items, also aiding in her deliverance from the wolf’s hungry maw. The pure clean lines and limited palette lend a distinctly ’50s vibe to the proceedings, while the text makes for a charming storytime. Meanwhile, the narrative has shades of Keiko Kasza’s My Lucky Day (2003) and Mo Willems’ That Is NOT a Good Idea (2013). Few may be surprised by the resolution, but the familiarity is much of the story’s charm.
It’s a lucky thing indeed that this book is as great a joy to read aloud as it is. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780593649770
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
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