Books born to carry a message are burdened by that baggage; this is no exception.
Deep in the jungle, the animals are experiencing a drought.
Monkey remembers the story his mother had told him about how “peacocks can make it rain by dancing,” so he climbs the mountain to find the bird. Peacock claims he needs water to make it rain; conveniently, Monkey now finds some inside a cave. Unbeknownst to him, the bucket he fetches to carry the water has a hole, and it leaks all the way back to Peacock. Not only do those drops change the landscape from brown to Technicolor, but when Peacock dances in response to the remaining drips, “buckets of rain” begin to fall. The illustrations are a combination of block printing and digital manipulation. While the monkey is awkwardly rendered, the textures of the landscape are pleasing, and some double-page spreads—in particular, the storm and the peacock’s dance—are striking. These do not compensate, however, for a contrived plot and lackluster writing; there is little to recommend this story despite the well-meaning provision to funnel a portion of profits to a clean-water charity.
Books born to carry a message are burdened by that baggage; this is no exception. (authors’ note) (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-5870-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2014
Clever, cheeky, and endearing—a wordless achievement.
Walrus escapes again, this time with pal Penguin, but their day on the town takes an unexpected turn for the fun-loving pinniped of Where’s Walrus? (2011).
Walrus is back and up to mischief again. A rainy day at the zoo sends visitors scurrying and Walrus and Penguin scuttering for the gate. Flipper in flipper, they bolt for an epic buddy day, with the zookeeper hot on the trail. It's a game of seek-and-find, as the two take on a variety of camouflaging roles with flair. From feeding birds at the park (Penguin playacts as a pigeon) to attending the opera (Walrus assumes the role of a Viking maiden while Penguin conducts), no role seems too large (or silly) for these explorers. Savage’s minimalist aesthetic and muted, gray-toned palette set the stage, as every posture and expression emotes and seems laden with meaning. With visual busyness at a minimum, pattern and color become essential to hiding and finding this duo. When a wounded Walrus encounters a nurse walrus with equal pluck and moxie, the two—with the support of their zoo family—embark on one of life’s great adventures together.
Clever, cheeky, and endearing—a wordless achievement. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-40295-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2015
With silly scenarios and a surprise ending to tickle young readers, this circular story makes a terrific storytime read.
When is a hat not a hat? When it finds its way into the hands of Kasza’s lively cast of woodland creatures!
A squirrel marks the spot of his buried acorn with a red hat. But a strong wind blows the hat high up into a tree, and it lands next to a little bird. “Wow! What a terrific nest!” she chirps. “Finders, keepers.” Alas, the hat doesn’t stay put and next falls into a stream. A little ant spots it. “Yippee! What a nice boat!” he declares. “Finders, keepers.” Next, a bear splashing in the water pops it on his face and cries, “What a perfect clown nose!” And so it goes until the hat ends up right where it started. Kasza’s customary mix of media—colored pencil, gouache, and oil pastels—ably showcases the rich, vibrant colors of the woods and brings its energetic inhabitants to life. Her clever use of perspective and composition also helps tell the story from the characters' points of view. Pages are framed with grass and flowers, reflecting what small animals and insects see from ground level; the contrast between big and small is made evident, for example, when the bear’s big foot creates a colossal wave (for an insect) next to the ant in the stream.
With silly scenarios and a surprise ending to tickle young readers, this circular story makes a terrific storytime read. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-399-16898-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2015
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