Oscar is a friendly pup who can make lots of noises: yips and howls, barks and growls, whimpers and wheezes. Unfortunately, though, he can’t talk. But what if he could? In this jovial, straightforward story in verse, a boy asks his dog to learn how to speak (“It sure would be great if you’d talk, Oscar—please?”) and imagines how much better life would be as a result. The bright, rounded illustrations show Oscar in his potential roles as student, coach, hiker, playground partner, telephone user and game-show contestant, while the text fills in comic details about the fun the two could have together, rhyming all the way. Bowers clearly has a good time with these scenarios. Oscar sits on a stack of books at a desk, earnestly studying his ABCs; Oscar gestures confidently with a pointer at a poster about fleas at the vet’s office. While the boy realizes his dream is unlikely, he isn’t really bothered. Oscar is his best friend, after all, so even though others may not understand, he feels he knows what Oscar is saying. An enjoyable selection, this will doubtlessly appeal to any child with a passion for dogs. Though the rhymes are at times a little forced, the message of a boy’s love for and kinship with his dog speaks for itself. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6563-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2011
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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Hee haw.
44
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The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Unlikely friends Bear and Rabbit face fears together.
The anthropomorphic creatures set out on an adventure. Graphic-based illustrations give the book a Pixar movie feel, with a variety of page layouts that keep the story moving. Large blocks of black text are heavy on dialogue patterns as timid Bear and bold Rabbit encounter obstacles. Bear fears every one of them, from the stream to the mountain. He’ll do anything to avoid the objects of terror: taking a bus, a train, and even a helicopter. As Rabbit asks Bear if he’s frightened, Bear repeatedly responds, “I’m not scared, you’re scared!” and children will delight in the call-and-response opportunities. Adults may tire of the refrain, but attempts to keep everyone entertained are evident in asides about Bear's inability to brush food from his teeth (he’s too afraid to look at himself in the mirror) and Rabbit's superstrong ears (which do come in handy later). When Rabbit finds herself in danger after Bear defects on the adventure, Bear retraces the trip. Along the way, he notes that the stream wasn't as deep, nor the mountain as high, as he thought when he was scared. While picture-book shelves may not be screaming for another comedically sweet bear story, especially one that treads such familiar territory, many readers will appreciate this tale of overcoming fears. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Energetic and earnest but not groundbreaking. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35237-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Categories: CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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