by Kate Klimo & illustrated by Tim Jessell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 8, 2013
Assisted by Ginger’s attractively gentle voice, pet lovers may be willing to overlook the sometimes heavy-handed narrative.
Ginger, a golden retriever, is the product of a brutal puppy mill, inauspicious beginnings that don’t improve much.
Taken from her pathetically ill-treated mother, Ginger is brought to a pet shop where she's bought by a shallow couple as an inappropriate Christmas present for their 2-year-old son. Acting as puppies do, Ginger gets herself in enough trouble that she's turned over to an animal shelter. Then she's taken in by a kindly man who understands her needs but—inevitably—leaves her with an irresponsible pet sitter. Eventually, she ends up on the streets with a group of feral dogs. After getting passed to a pet rescuer, things finally begin to look up for Ginger, providing a final object lesson on what constitutes a good pet home. While Ginger's first-person narration is relatively believable, the plot seems driven by the need to inform young readers about the many pitfalls mistreated pets encounter, rather than by the desire to tell a good story. But including such a wide range of unfortunate situations diminishes the separate impact of each one, since there is only room to lightly sketch them in this brief chapter book. Attractive, realistic drawings in each chapter fully capture Ginger's placid nature.
Assisted by Ginger’s attractively gentle voice, pet lovers may be willing to overlook the sometimes heavy-handed narrative. (history of golden retriever breed, information on puppy mills, rescue groups, animal shelters, and how to choose a dog.) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-307-97899-8
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2012
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by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 26, 2023
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
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by J. Torres ; illustrated by David Namisato ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 5, 2021
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.
Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.
Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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