Surfer pigs rise above aphorisms. The world is full of treasures. Concern for a friend trumps personal fears. Sometimes little brothers know best. Imagination is everything. Any of these might be the message behind this offbeat adventure, but none quite captures its goofy charm. Fergus and his baby brother Dink are anthropomorphized pigs—pink, plump and extremely expressive. They enjoy searching the beach, where they find interesting seaweed, oddly shaped rocks and bits of shell. Then they discover something extraordinary: a gleaming surfboard. Fergus is reluctant to ride it (he’s afraid of the water and what “lurking, murky ickiness” might be hiding in it) but they manage to have fun anyway, tap-dancing across it, using it as a pretend boat and even giving it a name—“Dave.” In a scene sure to give some parents fits, Fergus leaves Dink by the water’s edge to fetch some ice-cream cones. That’s when Dink decides that Dave should be returned to the ocean. Attempting to rescue his friend, Fergus discovers just how fun surfing can be. Sattler’s bold, bright paintings add emotion and humor. They also carry some parts of the narrative, as in an almost wordless double-page spread that accompanies Dave’s first appearance. The briskly paced text, meanwhile, offers alliteration and deadpan humor. Together words and pictures create an utterly engaging picture-book experience—eye-catching, thought-provoking and just plain fun. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59990-635-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: April 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories.
Kids know vegetables can be scary, but rarely are edible roots out to get someone. In this whimsical mock-horror tale, carrots nearly frighten the whiskers off Jasper Rabbit, an interloper at Crackenhopper Field.
Jasper loves carrots, especially those “free for the taking.” He pulls some in the morning, yanks out a few in the afternoon, and comes again at night to rip out more. Reynolds builds delicious suspense with succinct language that allows understatements to be fully exploited in Brown’s hilarious illustrations. The cartoon pictures, executed in pencil and then digitally colored, are in various shades of gray and serve as a perfectly gloomy backdrop for the vegetables’ eerie orange on each page. “Jasper couldn’t get enough carrots … / … until they started following him.” The plot intensifies as Jasper not only begins to hear the veggies nearby, but also begins to see them everywhere. Initially, young readers will wonder if this is all a product of Jasper’s imagination. Was it a few snarling carrots or just some bathing items peeking out from behind the shower curtain? The ending truly satisfies both readers and the book’s characters alike. And a lesson on greed goes down like honey instead of a forkful of spinach.
Serve this superbly designed title to all who relish slightly scary stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0297-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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