A sometimes-overreaching but well-meaning story with a cute main character that will delight young Christian readers.
A unique little turtle learns about love and forgiveness in Isemer’s debut allegorical children’s tale.
Jerry is different from the other turtles, who tease him about the yellow specks on his shell, which, they say, might make a predator pick him first. Jerry spends most of his time swimming alone at the bottom of the lake, but thankfully, his sweet personality earns him some very nice friends. One of them, a young girl named Amanda, likes to visit the lake with her mom and always looks for Jerry when she visits. But one day, Amanda carelessly throws a carrot away and accidentally puts Jerry in danger from a troublemaking raccoon. Peet, a pelican, flies to the rescue, but not before Jerry is badly hurt by the raccoon’s claws. Jerry and Peet then embark on a journey to find the only one who can heal Jerry. Finally, Jerry meets Larry, a lion, and is overcome by his kindness and wisdom; the lion heals the turtle’s wounds and then reads an ancient text that changes Jerry’s life forever. It contains an explicitly Christian message, delivering the Gospel in a nutshell. Although this method of delivery stalls the story and feels a little forced, parents who wish to expose their children to Scripture will be pleased. Despite the obvious difficulty of balancing religious messages with a simple children’s story, the effect is satisfying due to the story’s and characters’ sweetness. Overall, though, the characters are appealing, aside from Amanda’s outburst when she throws away the carrot, and they acquire important values. Jerry, in particular, embraces the message of love in a heartwarming way. However, the explanation of the raccoon having “gotten off the good track” seems a little off-topic. The color illustrations are lighthearted and contribute to the positive tone.
A sometimes-overreaching but well-meaning story with a cute main character that will delight young Christian readers.Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-3-00-053771-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Oct. 24, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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