There are still wild horses roaming what was the Old West thanks to a wise Congress that in 1971 passed a law to protect them. London (Froggy Goes to the Doctor, above, etc.) is grateful he has actually seen them. In a spare and gentle style, he tells the story of a newborn Mustang, his thundering herd, and Little Pinto’s brush with fate. Underlying the narrative, readers learn of the Mustangs’ habitat in the great Painted Desert, their social structure with a white-faced herd master, their different labels, and their way of life. They fear rogue stallions, fast, raging water, and most especially, man in his airplanes. More than the story, San Souci’s (Frightful’s Daughter, above, etc.) spreads of gorgeous watercolors with color pencil highlights breathe life into the Mustangs’ world in a realistic play of color and light. His attention to research and detail goes so far as to depict a dark shield on Little Pinto’s neck and chest, believed by the Indians, he says, to give the horse magical powers. Young readers should not miss the sense of community and family these “wild” horses must have to survive in their harsh but beautiful land, and in that notion they will countenance nature’s link with their own survival. One could only hope one day to see a herd of Mustangs in the wild, pounding resolutely to their own purpose, and that longing will start here for many young imaginations. (afterword, glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-7636-1554-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
What if the market was closed when you wanted to bake a pie? You could embark for Europe, learn Italian en route, and pick up some semolina wheat in Italy, an egg in France, kurundu bark for cinnamon in Sri Lanka, and an entire cow in England (butter) before coming home via Jamaica (sugar) and Vermont (apples). The expertly designed illustrations in which a dark-haired lass journeys by various means to these interesting places to get her groceries are lovely and lively, and the narrative, too, travels at a spritely pace. The journey is neither quite logical enough to be truly informative nor quite bizarre enough to be satisfyingly silly, while the rich, sweet recipe that's appended will take some adult assistance. Still, fun. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: May 2, 1994
ISBN: 0-679-83705-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1994
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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