After just one week, Wilson the rabbit loves his teacher, Miss Lovely, so much that he just can’t wait for the next one. Accordingly, he leaps out of bed, gets ready (his parents have overslept), runs to the bus stop and then, when the bus doesn’t come, to school—where he finds himself all alone. Undaunted, he follows the school routine by himself. Throughout his day, flaps lift to show a scary reptilian something drawing ever closer. Preschoolers apprehensive about moving up will enjoy both the silliness of Wilson’s behavior and the release of tension at the big reveal—and Wilson’s radiant face when he sees Miss Lovely, at school on Saturday to pick up some forgotten papers. Sweetly surreal. (Picture book/novelty. 4-7)
Pub Date: June 23, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-375-84478-2
Page Count: 30
Publisher: Robin Corey/Random
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2009
Not terribly remarkable, but the series has lots of growing room.
Second-grade twins prepare to leave the country, but not without first solving a time-sensitive mystery.
Ella and Ethan Briar are devastated by their parents’ announcement that the family is leaving their beloved hometown. Mrs. Briar has accepted a new job as a travel writer, a job that will send the family to new places all over the globe on a weekly basis. In an attempt to soothe the twins’ unhappiness about the move (“What about school? And soccer?” they ask), their grandfather—a retired, globe-trotting archaeologist himself—gives each a special gift for their travels. Mystery-writing Ella gets a journal; Ethan gets a special gold coin. On their last morning in town, Ethan realizes that his gold coin is missing—and they only have a few hours before they have to leave for the airport. While their grandfather does their chores, the twins methodically determine when Ethan last had the coin—the previous day—and make a list of places he visited to retrace his steps. This allows the twins to say goodbye to friendly faces throughout the town. This series-launching installment’s light on mystery, but it’s welcoming and accessible through expressive, frequent illustrations. The Mystery of the Mosaic, publishing simultaneously, takes the kids to Venice for their first overseas adventure.
Not terribly remarkable, but the series has lots of growing room. (Mystery. 5-7)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-9719-1
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 28, 2014
Detective Dinosaur, showcased in his third entry in the I Can Read! series, is the same charming numbskull readers have come to love. This book is broken up into three chapters, each of which is a “case” for the detective to solve. In the first caper, when Detective Dinosaur is called in to do some undercover work, the real mystery is his interpretation of "undercover." In the second, the dinosaur has a nightmare—er, napmare—and wakes up to find mysterious large blobs at the end of his blanket-covered legs. The third mystery takes the sleuth on an outing during which he tries to deduce why the sun is shining brightly even though he keeps getting soaked. Enhancing the narrative is a cast of funky characters, such as Ricky Raptor and Cadet Kitty, illustrated in bright cavorting watercolors. Readers will smirk at being smarter than the detective and giggle at his goof-ups. With a pronunciation guide for those tongue-twisting dinosaur names, this accessible and super-silly romp will be a boost for those about to embark on the next level for chapter books. (Early reader. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-06-623878-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2010
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