by Jeff Szpirglas ; illustrated by Dave Whamond ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 14, 2017
A good choice for emergent readers who might like to promote improvements to their schools.
The kids in Matt’s class love to play with Monster Zap cards during recess, but now their principal has banned them, leaving the child scrambling to find a solution for recess despair.
Monster Zap cards seem to be a lot like Yu-Gi-Oh!: tradable cards that children buy, have battles with, and sometimes lose. Since the recess area is a trashy concrete wasteland surrounded by mud, the cards offer one of the only available diversions for the white grade schooler and his multiracial friends. Mr. Leon, the principal, isn’t unsympathetic; he just sees that the cards cause conflicts of their own. Matt, inspired by his innovative and creative black teacher, comes up with a plan to bring back the cards—but in a constructive way that even leads to both a cleanup of the playground and a return of a limited amount of other recess activities. All of this problem-solving is presented in a story suitable for readers just transitioning to chapter books, so Whamond has supplied plenty of appealing, cartoonlike, black-and-white illustrations to accompany the simple, large-print text. The tale is action-driven with little room for character development, but the reasonably believable kid-initiated resolution is satisfying enough to render that immaterial.
A good choice for emergent readers who might like to promote improvements to their schools. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4598-1211-6
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
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by Suzy Kline ; illustrated by Amy Wummer ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 27, 2018
A fitting farewell, still funny, acute, and positive in its view of human nature even in its 37th episode.
A long-running series reaches its closing chapters.
Having, as Kline notes in her warm valedictory acknowledgements, taken 30 years to get through second and third grade, Harry Spooger is overdue to move on—but not just into fourth grade, it turns out, as his family is moving to another town as soon as the school year ends. The news leaves his best friend, narrator “Dougo,” devastated…particularly as Harry doesn’t seem all that fussed about it. With series fans in mind, the author takes Harry through a sort of last-day-of-school farewell tour. From his desk he pulls a burned hot dog and other items that featured in past episodes, says goodbye to Song Lee and other classmates, and even (for the first time ever) leads Doug and readers into his house and memento-strewn room for further reminiscing. Of course, Harry isn’t as blasé about the move as he pretends, and eyes aren’t exactly dry when he departs. But hardly is he out of sight before Doug is meeting Mohammad, a new neighbor from Syria who (along with further diversifying a cast that began as mostly white but has become increasingly multiethnic over the years) will also be starting fourth grade at summer’s end, and planning a written account of his “horrible” buddy’s exploits. Finished illustrations not seen.
A fitting farewell, still funny, acute, and positive in its view of human nature even in its 37th episode. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: Nov. 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-451-47963-1
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
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by Lulu Delacre ; illustrated by Lulu Delacre ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 17, 2019
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape.
The fourth installment in Delacre’s early-reader series centers on the rich musical traditions of Puerto Rico, once again featuring sibling tree frogs Rafi and Rosi Coquí.
Readers learn along with Rafi and Rosi as they explore bomba, plena, and salsa in three chapters. A glossary at the beginning sets readers up well to understand the Spanish vocabulary, including accurate phoneticization for non-Spanish speakers. The stories focus on Rafi and Rosi’s relationship within a musical context. For example, in one chapter Rafi finds out that he attracts a larger audience playing his homemade güiro with Rosi’s help even though he initially excluded her: “Big brothers only.” Even when he makes mistakes, as the older brother, Rafi consoles Rosi when she is embarrassed or angry at him. In each instance, their shared joy for music and dance ultimately shines through any upsets—a valuable reflection of unity. Informational backmatter and author’s sources are extensive. Undoubtedly these will help teachers, librarians, and parents to develop Puerto Rican cultural programs, curriculum, or home activities to extend young readers’ learning. The inclusion of instructions to make one’s own homemade güiro is a thoughtful addition. The Spanish translation, also by Delacre and published simultaneously, will require a more advanced reader than the English one to recognize and comprehend contractions (“pa’bajo-pa-pa’rriba”) and relatively sophisticated vocabulary.
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape. (Early reader. 7-9)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-89239-429-6
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Children's Book Press
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
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