An automotive-inspired reboot of a classic game.
A new twist on an old tale.
Everyone knows the story of the little piggies who went to the market, that toe-counting and -tickling game parents and grandparents have played with children for generations. Here, instead of going to the market, the little piggies are driving luxury automobiles. The first little piggy is given a Rolls-Royce, while the second is given a “Jag.” The third piggy has something called a deuce coupé, and the fourth piggy, who appears to be standing on a pair of wheels, has “some mags.” The fifth, and only female piggy, sporting bows around her ears and prominent eyelashes, drives off in a “1949 Shoebox Coupe,” which goes “Va Boom.” Debut children’s book author Gardner addresses his adult reader at the front of the book, apologizing for any inaccuracies regarding the automobiles and encouraging the reader to make any changes he or she deems proper. The introduction lets the reader know that this is going to be a Beach Boys homage disguised as a children’s book, but it also may immediately turn off anyone who doesn’t have working knowledge of classic cars. The illustrations of the luxury machines are elaborate and quite beautiful. They contrast in a rather interesting way with the piggies themselves, who are more simply depicted. But if the reader hasn’t the slightest idea what a “mag” is or why “fullrace flattie and lakes’ pipes” are supposed to be something special, the entire retelling will be lost on him or her. But fans of the automobile won’t mind reading this picture book to their children. As for whether or not those children will like it, that would most likely depend wholly on the enthusiasm of the reader—the book is incredibly short and has little plot. The listening audience is thus likely to be infants and perhaps toddlers. For this reason, the book would have been better presented as a board book instead of a picture book.
An automotive-inspired reboot of a classic game.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2012
ISBN: 978-1449738099
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An enjoyable picture book that addresses important issues in a kid-friendly way without being preachy.
Willenbrock’s heartwarming debut picture book is the autobiographical story of how she came to share her home with a special shelter dog.
Told from the perspective of Marshall, Willenbrock’s dog, this tale tells of his unpleasant life in the home of a dog hoarder, where food for the dogs was so scarce that they fought each other at mealtime. In one of these fights, Marshall’s front leg was broken and his face was badly bitten. When animal rescuers finally found out about the animal hoarder and took the dogs away, Marshall was in such sorry shape that they didn’t know if he would make it. He ended up losing his damaged front leg and his face remained badly scarred, yet he describes the compassion of the humane society workers who helped him learn how to walk and run on three legs. He meets his new “mom” (owner) and adjusts to a life of freedom with her and her other dog, Mooshy. Though life is good, Marshall is insecure and nervous about how other dogs and people will react to the fact that he has only three legs and a big scar on his face, but he’s pleasantly surprised by the kindness of others. Heimbaugh’s realistic colored-pencil illustrations help bring Marshall’s story to life. Due to wordiness and the use of some bigger words—celebrity, socialize, limitations—this book will most likely work better as a read-aloud with school-age children. It also lends itself to discussions about the humane treatment of animals and discussions about bullying.
An enjoyable picture book that addresses important issues in a kid-friendly way without being preachy.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0615666259
Page Count: 40
Publisher: The Marshall Movement
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Unanswered questions and heavy-handed writing drain intrigue from this not-so-spooky story.
Three friends unravel old secrets lurking beneath the surface of a picture-perfect town in this young adult mystery.
Fallon and her best friend, Blair, live in the town of Whitford, a “sort of old fashioned” place where “everyone knows everyone else.” Nothing ever goes wrong there, except for local 16-year-old girls’ penchant for drowning in Whitford Pond on their 16th birthdays. That is, nothing ever goes wrong until Blair, Fallon and their new friend Lila start investigating the drownings as part of a history project. Soon after the girls paddle out to the spooky island at the middle of the pond where its victims are buried, Fallon discovers that she’s related to the pond’s first victim: Elizabeth Mason, who was engaged to the prosperous son of the town jeweler before her supposed suicide in 1750. By poking around the town historical society and badgering Fallon’s lively grandmother, Nana, the girls realize that something sinister lurks beneath Whitford’s bucolic surface. It’s only when the trio heads to the fourth floor of Whitford’s public library in search of A Genealogy of the Noble Families of Whitford: A History that they realize their quest is putting them in danger. Blair and Fallon’s friendship feels comfortable and credible, although the addition of “exotic” Lila seems like a strained plot device rather than a real-life event. Indeed, much of the plotting is convenient rather than clever; the girls’ discoveries primarily result from pushing Nana to give them information or snooping around Nana’s house—and the developments that aren’t related to Nana are foreshadowed so heavily that they come as no surprise. Another distraction: Every time that the inhabitants of Whitford scream or emphasize a turn of phrase, Fredo uses capital letters. They’re are unnecessary, for example, when Fallon says, “I JUST HAD THE BEST IDEA EVER!”
Unanswered questions and heavy-handed writing drain intrigue from this not-so-spooky story.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 172
Publisher: iUniverse
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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