Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25425-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Giving an inch in the sibling arena can yield a mile of returns, and Digger and Daisy are great role models.
In this latest outing for Digger and Daisy, the elder dog sister guides the younger dog brother through a visit to the doctor.
Young’s comradely canine siblings have a history of enjoying adventures together, but going to the doctor is a different order of things for one simple reason: Shots hurt, and doctors always seem to be waving around needles. However, in this early reader, Digger is under the weather—“ ‘I do not feel good.’ Daisy looks at Digger. He does not look good”—so a trip to the doctor is imperative. “I do not want to go,” Digger protests. “I will get a shot.” “You must be brave,” replies Daisy, which is easy to say when you are not on the receiving end. At the office, Digger doesn’t want to let the doctor do anything—take a look in his eyes, ears or mouth—so Daisy goes first. Digger has a cold, so he doesn’t need a shot. “But you do,” says the doctor. “Turn around, Daisy.” No good deed goes unpunished, though having someone to share it with is like that spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down. Sullivan’s artwork lends a hand, little bits of tropical fruit upon which to sprinkle the sugar.
Giving an inch in the sibling arena can yield a mile of returns, and Digger and Daisy are great role models. (Early reader. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-58536-845-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hilarious fun.
Moose is back! Hooray—unless you are a book about circles and squares.
The simple concept book starts off well enough with a button representing a circle and a sandwich representing a square. And then mischief and mayhem erupt as Moose takes an enormous bite out of the sandwich. Admonitions from the book follow, and then it attempts to continue with a wedge of cheese and a slice of pie to illustrate triangles. Alas, Moose interrupts again, presenting a cat with triangular ears. Leave the book, they are told. More Moose antics ensue with rectangles and diamonds. The book grows ever more frantic, and fortunately Zebra arrives to salvage the exercise. Or does he? Zebra appears hopelessly tangled in ribbon (a curve) when Moose steps in to save the day with a circle that becomes a hole through which they escape the book. Moose then presents his friend with the last shape, a star. It is a great joy to watch Bingham and Zelinsky, who brilliantly collaborated on Z Is for Moose (2012), once more let Moose loose to naughtily and enthusiastically disrupt reading. Bingham’s text is both straightforward and filled with humorous speech bubbles. Zelinsky digitally manipulates his palette of bright colors to fill the pages with sly clues, fast-paced action, expressive typefaces and animals with winning personalities. Are further books in Moose’s future?
Hilarious fun. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-06-229003-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2014
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