Martin Bridge is back, in an entirely likable early chapter book written with affection and humor. Two stories continue the series that began with Martin Bridge: Ready for Takeoff! (2005). Martin’s in a pickle in “Relish,” when he goes on his first overnight camping trip with his Junior Badgers. Sharing a cabin room with his friend Alex is a mixed blessing, since Alex is a known prankster—guess who becomes the object of Alex’s slimy prank. Martin gets his revenge, though not exactly as he had planned. “Lightning Bolts,” the more subtle and insightful of the two stories, is about a familiar family conflict: Mr. Bridge wants help fixing the lawnmower, but Martin wants to watch television. It turns out, though, not to be about the lawnmower at all, but the father-son relationship that Martin comes to appreciate. Realistic, everyday situations, likable characters and simple stories written in rich language with solid dialogue and humor will make this a series with endless variations, and readers will eagerly anticipate every new installment. (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2006
ISBN: 1-55337-961-6
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2006
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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