Staid design masks a terrific collection of poetic surprises, observations and ruminations on topics as varied as discovering sunken treasure but not taking it, meeting an unusually eloquent “Elephant,” considering the prospect of eating “Frog On A Cob” again—“I can’t stand the smell of it, / cannot think well of it, / live with the hell of it / day after day”—and, in the title poem, using the “inward-gazing mind” to reverse what the “outward-dazing eye” sees. Displaying an uncommon ear for sound-play, Lawson also introduces a range of quirky characters, from “Thirsty Kirsten” and “Merciful Percival” to a beloved witch (“I knew what you were, / but I couldn’t resist / when your moon-haloed silhouette / rose from the mist”) and a “Handsome Prince” who decides to kiss Rip Van Winkle rather than Sleeping Beauty. Tjia’s monochromatic wash illustrations generally interpret these sparklers literally, but sometimes take imaginative leaps of their own. Despite the variety of tone and subject, the poet’s voice and sensibility are clear and consistent in this above-average gathering. (notes) (Poetry. 11-15)
Pub Date: March 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59078-521-8
Page Count: 118
Publisher: Wordsong/Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2008
After years of normal living, a teenager learns he has epilepsy and has to cope not just with the disease, but with the side effects, including the hostility of his peers. High schooler Lefty has an epileptic seizure while hanging out with his best friend, Reuben, and must subsequently learn to live with the disease, deal with medication, make lifestyle changes, overcome his own fear, as well as that of family and friends, and face his peers. What little action there is in this marathon talkfest concerns Lefty and his friends (including his 12-year-old brother) smoking and drinking. In his tough, working-class neighborhood this is considered perfectly normal, and the author never counters that. Most of readers’ efforts may be spent trying to keep track of the many characters: Lefty’s friends and brothers, his mother’s tough-as-nails girlfriends, neighbors, classmates, medical personnel, etc. When Lefty, a budding writer, pens an imaginary dialogue between two elderly neighbors and a would-be mugger, the story picks up; otherwise this is a flat and emotionally distant bull session that, though extended, leads nowhere. (Fiction. 11-13)
Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2000
ISBN: 1-55143-166-1
Page Count: 215
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
paper 0-8160-4096-6 Even those readers not necessarily seeking a career guide will find this an enlightening introduction to math-oriented, math- dependent jobs of many kinds. Reeves leads off with a lengthy self-test to help readers determine whether a career in mathematics is appropriate. She subsequently covers 15 careers, ranging from actuary work to urban planning, giving a general description of each occupation, a list of fascinating websites, and a profile of someone who actually does each particular job. The chapters are followed by a list of careers in science, health, aviation, and more, all requiring a degree of proficiency in math. Finally, a working plan is laid out, to help readers organize the steps necessary to break into and thrive in their chosen fields. Plenty of useful information has been packed into this book, written in a lively and interesting manner that will engage browsers as well as those gazing into the future. (b&w drawings and photographs, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-14)
Pub Date: March 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-8160-4095-8
Page Count: 180
Publisher: Facts On File
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2000
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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