A fantastically illustrated, imaginative anthropomorphic story.
An elephant receives guidance on her first day of school in Goodrich’s picture book.
Ellie has “tiny dragons that magically appear when she is HAPPY, SAD, SCARED, or MAD.” Dragon Naz “helps…when she is nervous or scared”; Nali “comforts Ellie when she is sad”; Tully “calms Ellie when she is…mad”; and Hani “loves to laugh and dance when Ellie is happy.” Ellie has first-day-of-school jitters and carries the dragons in her backpack. At the bus stop, the pachyderm relaxes when Naz points out that neighbor Jacob will also ride the bus. Later, when Ellie misses her parents, Nali recommends that she draw them a picture while she waits for the other students to arrive. When Ellie witnesses a bully harass another classmate, she feels angry. Tully suggests that she make sure the kid is OK and inform her teacher and take deep breaths instead of confronting Billy. Eventually, her jitters dissipate. Back home, Ellie fills her parents in and thanks the dragons. Featuring relatable scenarios and a thoughtful protagonist, this story will appeal to school-aged readers. Goodrich underscores the importance of assessing emotions, checking in during challenging times, and coping in healthy ways. Van Wagoner’s expressive, delightful illustrations include textures and creative hand-painted accents like colorful paint splatters and splotches. Ellie is purple. Others are friendly looking animals, including Mrs. Hopewell, a giraffe, and Jacob, a zebra.
A fantastically illustrated, imaginative anthropomorphic story.Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73285-532-8
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Wisdom House Books
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Though Jim may have been grumpy because a chimp’s an ape and not a monkey, readers will enjoy and maybe learn from his...
It’s a wonderful day in the jungle, so why’s Jim Panzee so grumpy?
When Jim woke up, nothing was right: "The sun was too bright, the sky was too blue, and bananas were too sweet." Norman the gorilla asks Jim why he’s so grumpy, and Jim insists he’s not. They meet Marabou, to whom Norman confides that Jim’s grumpy. When Jim denies it again, Marabou points out that Jim’s shoulders are hunched; Jim stands up. When they meet Lemur, Lemur points out Jim’s bunchy eyebrows; Jim unbunches them. When he trips over Snake, Snake points out Jim’s frown…so Jim puts on a grimacelike smile. Everyone has suggestions to brighten his mood: dancing, singing, swinging, swimming…but Jim doesn’t feel like any of that. He gets so fed up, he yells at his animal friends and stomps off…then he feels sad about yelling. He and Norman (who regrets dancing with that porcupine) finally just have a sit and decide it’s a wonderful day to be grumpy—which, of course, makes them both feel a little better. Suzanne Lang’s encouragement to sit with your emotions (thus allowing them to pass) is nearly Buddhist in its take, and it will be great bibliotherapy for the crabby, cranky, and cross. Oscar-nominated animator Max Lang’s cartoony illustrations lighten the mood without making light of Jim’s mood; Jim has comically long arms, and his facial expressions are quite funny.
Though Jim may have been grumpy because a chimp’s an ape and not a monkey, readers will enjoy and maybe learn from his journey. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 15, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-553-53786-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2018
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The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.
A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-30311-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
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BOOK REVIEW
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