bookshelf

A CHILL IN THE AIR

Name: A CHILL IN THE AIR
Author: John Frank
ISBN: 0-689-83923-5

POEMS FOR FALL AND WINTER

by John Frank & illustrated by Mike Reed ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2003

bookshelf

In simply phrased verses, nearly all previously unpublished, Frank notes in sequence autumn’s changing leaves and dropping temperatures, the appearance of snow, ice, and bitter winds, and then early signs of spring at last. Though the language sometimes turns clunky—“I ran to catch it in my hands / Before it touched the ground, / And brought it home to keep among / The treasures I have found”—there are occasional flights of imaginative imagery, plus redeeming flashes of humor, such as the suggestion that Halloween witches had better wear thermal underwear. Not so in the illustrations, though, as Reed’s leaden, sharp-looking, identically shaped leaves and stiffly posed human figures give many scenes a monotonous look, compounded on one spread by a child’s puff of breath that expands to a page-filling cloud, thus contradicting the accompanying “I see each word I speak / take flight / a whiff of fog, / then disappear.” Though there’s never enough poetry, particularly for younger audiences, this collaboration is too uneven to consider as more than a secondary choice. (Poetry. 5-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2003

ISBN: 0-689-83923-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2003

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
LEND A HAND
by John Frank ; illustrated by London Ladd

- BOOK REVIEW
KEEPERS
by John Frank & photographed by Ken Robbins

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW TO CATCH A FISH
by John Frank & illustrated by Peter Sylvada

bookshelf

ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 19, 2018

For places where the first-grade shelves are particularly thin.

bookshelf

The traditional song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” gets a school makeover as readers follow a cheery narrator through the first 12 days of first grade.

“On the first day of first grade / I had fun right away // laughing and learning all day!” In these first two spreads, Jennings shows the child, who has brown skin and a cloud of dark-brown hair, entering the schoolyard with a diverse array of classmates and settling in. In the backgrounds, caregivers, including a woman in hijab, stand at the fence and kids hang things on hooks in the back of the room. Each new day sees the child and their friends enjoying new things, previous days’ activities repeated in the verses each time so that those listening will soon be chiming in. The child helps in the classroom, checks out books from the library, plants seeds, practices telling time and counting money, leads the line, performs in a play, shows off a picture of their pet bunny, and does activities in gym, music, and art classes. The Photoshop-and-watercolor illustrations portray adorable and engaged kids having fun while learning with friends. But while the song and topic are the same, this doesn’t come close to touching either the hysterical visuals or great rhythm of Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003).

For places where the first-grade shelves are particularly thin. (Picture book. 5-7)

Pub Date: June 19, 2018

ISBN: 978-0-06-266851-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

bookshelf

WHO BOP?

by Jonathan London ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 29, 2000

bookshelf

PLB 0-06-027918-4 In a tongue-tangling word-romp, London (Hip Cat, 1993, etc.) invites children to “jump right in, to swirl and spin” with the animal-attendees of his sock hop. This swinging party features cool cats, whirling rabbits, frolicking dogs, cavorting mice, and springing frogs, all grooving in half-tugged socks. London combines the deeply satisfying sounds of drums and keyboards with the upbeat be-bop of the sax to create a book that, when read out loud (at story hours or anytime), rivals the cadence of rhythm and blues. Working in confident, vivid colors, Cole sets out a playful visual introduction to musical instruments; the scenes are fairly bursting with joyful dancers who are so engaging that joining the hip-hop hoppin’ may be the only way to go. (Picture book. 3-6)