Certain to linger with readers.
A child acknowledges an older friend’s memory loss.
A craggy-faced, red-capped, pale-skinned elder, Mr. Mornington (reminiscent of John Burningham’s characters) is “the best saxophonist in the world,” according to the book’s narrator and Mr. Mornington’s neighbor, a small brown-skinned child. The little one visits through a special hedge-gate to bring Mr. Mornington sweet treats: “We have a deal. Mr. Mornington fills our garden with music and we fill his tummy with cherry cakes!” Mr. M.’s memory is not what it was, though: He forgets to get dressed properly before going shopping, for instance. But he offers to teach the child to become the world’s “second-best” saxophonist. By the time a child-size sax arrives, however, he’s gone; he even forgot to say goodbye. Mom (also brown-skinned) explains that Mr. Mornington has moved to a new home where he’ll get the care he needs. Before visiting him, the child practices their favorite song. Without his cap, sax, or cherry cake, Mr. Mornington is diminished, but the child visits often and plays for him, sometimes without much effect but sometimes eliciting the ghost of a smile, as he perhaps remembers. Both characters’ favorite things are delightfully evoked in a stream of images flowing from the saxophone horn: Mr. Mornington’s house, dog, and more; the child’s cat (featured in many separate frames), mom, and friends. George has crafted a simple yet moving and child-friendly tale enhanced by understated watercolor-esque vignettes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Certain to linger with readers. (cherry cake recipe) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023
ISBN: 9781801301022
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Welbeck Flame
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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