A wholesome, down-home children’s book, with fine illustrations and a kid-friendly moral.
A delightful folk tale for children about friendship, forgiveness and how Lizard Lick, N.C., got its name.
Matthews’ debut children’s book tells the story of the amusingly named little town of Lizard Lick, a real-life town in North Carolina. The true origins of the town’s name are shrouded in mystery (and may have something to do with moonshine and thirsty lizards), but Matthews invents a fun, imaginative folk-inspired version of its origin. Young Carson asks his grandfather, Papa Richard, how Lizard Lick got its funny name. Papa Richard tells that once, there were two types of folk living by Sweetwater Pond: the Lizards and the Frogs. On the edge of the pond, the Lizards were led by Mayor Walla and their police chief, Broadhead Billy; out on the lily pads, the Frogs of Frogville follow Mayor Hairy Frog and their own top cop, Bullfrogger. Harmony and friendship reign in Sweetwater Pond until a drought hits; as resources dwindle, the Frogs decide that the pond isn’t big enough for both them and the Lizards. To decide who will have ownership over the pond and who will have to leave, the Frogs challenge the Lizards to a sports competition, which includes events such as the long jump, a 10-meter run and a tug of war. The ensuing contest is sure to keep children on the edges of their seats, but the title might give the game away; as Papa Richard says, “It was because the lizards licked the frogs.” But Matthews’ tale isn’t about winners and losers, but about the power of forgiveness, the importance of sharing, and the good karma that comes from playing fair and square. The author’s easy-to-read, descriptive prose is accompanied by Taylor’s beautiful watercolor illustrations that colorfully and wonderfully develop the story’s world and characters. The Frogs and Lizards are rendered in exquisite detail, with humanlike expressions, while still retaining their animal qualities, and the backgrounds will give young readers a great sense of the North Carolina landscape.
A wholesome, down-home children’s book, with fine illustrations and a kid-friendly moral.Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2013
ISBN: 978-1479382477
Page Count: 36
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
© 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
