A comical but shame-based approach to encouraging honesty.
When a bird lies to get out of helping with the harvest, Zoom-Boom, a scarecrow, berates him in this eighth series picture book.
On the farm, everyone contributes when it’s harvest time—except Lyman, a black-feathered bird with an orange beak. He claims to be sick when there are chores to be done: He has a headache, he’s dizzy, his feathers are falling out, he says. The truth is, he’s perfectly well, but since it’s “not nice to call someone a ‘liar,’ ” according to the narration, it’s better to use the term “tall tale.” In a characteristic rush to help, Zoom-Boom goes to Lyman’s house and discovers him having a wonderful time, listening to music and dancing. “YOU should be ASHAMED!” says Zoom-Boom, and Lyman is. He apologizes and is forgiven. The book ends with a reminder that “it ALWAYS pays to tell the truth ALL of the time, no matter what!” Brown (Theo the Thief With Zoom-Boom and Buttons the Bullfrog, 2018, etc.) softens the overtly moralistic message with a good deal of humor; Lyman’s histrionic protestations of illness are amusing, as is his guilty “ARK!” when caught. Returning illustrator Myers’ lively images are also amusing. However, parents should consider that some experts warn against telling children to be ashamed of themselves, as it can harm their self-image.
A comical but shame-based approach to encouraging honesty.Pub Date: June 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-946683-13-7
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Rapier Publishing Company
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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