A charming, challenging, imaginative alphabet book; will induce giggles.
A girl chases a stray pet through an animal parade in this zany collection of alphabet animals and their owners.
When brown-haired Zoe notices a sign for the pet parade, she asks her grandfather if she can get a pet. After assuring her grandfather she’s ready for the responsibility of being a pet owner, she heads to the parade. There, they see a wacky assortment of town residents and some very strange pets, one for each letter of the alphabet. But when a “critter that strayed, / out of the crowd into the parade,” starts causing a ruckus, Zoe zooms after it on her bicycle, chasing it through the alphabet until she finally rescues it and knows exactly which pet she wants for herself. Unlike alphabet books geared toward the youngest readers, this collection of alphabetical creatures and characters features fun and challenging vocabulary words (intercepted, orneriest, oscillated) to go with sometimes lesser-known animals (ibex, quoll). Savvy readers will notice that each character’s surname is the opposite of their description, giving the Santa Fe–esque Topsy-Turvy Town a unique cast (“Barbara Boring, the most interesting person you’ve ever met, brought her bats”). Engel’s exquisite illustrations offer a bright display of color and activity. The town’s quirky residents range in age, ethnicity, skin tone, and ability—two characters use wheelchairs—as well as described personality. Endnotes offer discussion questions, including about the wisdom of keeping exotic pets.
A charming, challenging, imaginative alphabet book; will induce giggles.Pub Date: July 14, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-58041-127-1
Page Count: 36
Publisher: ASHA Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
