A wonderful tumble into a landscape in which dreams and real life overlap, turning the village fool into a masterful performer, and a mere nap into a circus gala. When Pierre dozes off during a midday nap, he doesn’t expect to wake up in the middle of a traveling circus. He rationalizes all the weird animals and costumed performers by believing he is in a dream; therefore, it’s safe to take all kinds of death-defying risks. Pierre tames a lion, walks the tightrope with a pretty acrobat, rides horseback, and swings from the trapeze, all with perfect confidence, and all to the amazement of the other villagers, who know him only as a lazy fool. When evening comes, Pierre is so tired he falls asleep again, and when he wakes up, the circus is gone. Armstong (Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, 1999, etc.) is an adept storyteller and Gaber’s pastoral illustrations have a mistiness that enhances the dreamy quality of this tale. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8037-1700-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1999
Music has the capacity to make friends of enemies, in this quiet study of one introverted fellow: Mole. Mole spends his days alone in his underground hovel, until one night while eating supper in front of the television, he hears the sweet sound of a violin. “I want to make beautiful music, too,” Mole claims, then sends away for a violin of his own. One note leads to another, and his music goes from screeching to symphonic. Unbeknownst to him, his years of underground practice have overarching effects, seen by readers only in the illustrations. Lilting strains of music attract birds, farmers, presidents, and queens. Mole’s subterranean world, a realm of permanent night, is softly lit by glowing umber, while outside, fighting armies lay down their arms as the music plays on. With endearing characterizations stylistically akin to Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad, the beloved Mole will easily win the affections of readers and inspire young hopes for a better world. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8050-2819-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1999
In this worthy packet of information about famous players from the Negro Leagues, Winter’s narrative is marred only by a comic-book tone and exclamation points that detract from otherwise spectacular statistics and stories. Every player gets a page of text designed to resemble a baseball card, faced with a full-page portrait; some of these are close-up studies, others are fluid action shots. The illustrations have the deep contrasts and the sharp overexposed edges of antique, hand-tinted photographs. Winter provides highlights and quotations, and tells whether or not the player is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Readers will learn that Josh Gibson was the only player to hit a home run out of Yankee Stadium; that Bingo DeMoss always played second base with a toothpick in his mouth; and that Martin Dihigo is the only player to be elected to baseball halls of fame in four countries (the US, Cuba, Mexico, and Venezuela). He closes the text with his ultimate all-star teams for the American and National Leagues. (Picture book/biography. 5-8)
Pub Date: April 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-590-39464-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1999
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