A soothing and appealing read-aloud, this lovely look under the sea may spark scientific curiosity in listeners.
A gray whale and her calf migrate from south to north in this British import.
As in Weaver’s debut, Little One (2016), luminous charcoal illustrations reveal and enhance a loving relationship between an animal mother and (non–gender-specific) child. Double-page spreads in varying shades of blue show the mother and calf swimming past coral reefs, over waving fronds of seaweed, through schools of fish, under a starry sky, and on and on through the vast sea on their journey home. The monochromatic pages sparkle with sunlight, evoke the watery sway of plant life, and capture the vastness of the open ocean as appropriate. A pod of orcas provides a frisson of danger, the calf’s exhaustion a modicum of suspense, but overall the mood is serene. Imagined exchanges between Gray Whale and Little Whale will sound comfortingly familiar to both young listeners and adult readers. When the child/calf asks, “Are we nearly there?” the mother responds, “Not yet,” and offers encouragement to continue swimming. While the dialogue obviously anthropomorphizes the characters somewhat, the pictures provide a generally realistic view of the animals and their habitat. The straightforward text, which tracks their progress and describes the natural world through which they travel, likewise emphasizes the fact-based nature of the tale.
A soothing and appealing read-aloud, this lovely look under the sea may spark scientific curiosity in listeners. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68263-049-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
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
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