Magnus Magpie lives on a faraway hill in a lonely tree. By day, he slurps worms and hunts pheasants, and by night he goes...
When a burglar bird goes after the object of his dreams, he learns a valuable lesson.
Magnus Magpie lives on a faraway hill in a lonely tree. By day, he slurps worms and hunts pheasants, and by night he goes out thieving. Magnus has stolen an emerald egg cup, a pinnacle from the Taj Mahal and a shimmering slipper—right off a ballerina's foot. What Magnus wants most of all is the moon, seeing it as the ultimate treasure. One night, he flies higher than he's ever flown before and, exhausted, reaches the moon. But it's not shiny at all; it's dusty and gray and covered with rocks. Magnus begins to cry. Far off in the distance, he spots something shiny and dazzling: It's home! He flies back as fast as he can and makes a beeline for his tree, where he finds a glossy female magpie enjoying a breakfast of beetles. (Readers know she's a female because she has long eyelashes.) All the things Magnus has stolen seem to have lost their sparkle, and he returns them. This leaves more room for his new tree-mate and their hungry magpie baby. Bright colors explode in Slater's illustrations, made in mixed-media collage, which have a slightly three-dimensional effect.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-84939-008-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Andersen/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
Monkeys who met previously in MonkeyWorld ABC (2012) get names as well and occupations on a thrill-a-minute train ride.
At the Station Master’s “All aboard!” passengers from Mayday the detective and Oscar the magician to Jango Jenkins and his Dixieland Band climb into the Thunderbolt Express, bound for Miggleswick station. They are all rendered as stylized, nattily attired monkeys in Porter’s cleanly drawn, brightly colored cartoon illustrations. Any expectations of a quiet journey are quickly dispelled as a mystery featuring a vanished pet is followed by a brake failure, a missing bridge, a wild flying leap over a crocodile-infested river and a full-speed trip right through a circus tent. Whew! All agree, at the end, that the ride was well worth having to chuck out their luggage, instruments and, for some, clothes along the way. The adventure is narrated in a dry, matter-of-fact present tense that folds in some nifty vocabulary as well as conveying these monkeys’ personalities: “Jango Jenkins and his band are really swinging. Only Mono the inventor refuses to jive. / Meanwhile, back in the compartment, a mystery is unfurling.” A hoot for younger children fond of monkeys (not to mention, in one scene, monkeys in underpants!). (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-57061-877-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sasquatch
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2013
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Pfister has a following, so adults who recognize his name will likely be drawn to the (hologram-free) artwork. Others may...
Animal alphabet books abound, so it takes something special to make one stand out; this one doesn’t have it.
First published in Switzerland, this American adaptation highlights each animal’s characteristics in a two-line, first-person rhyme that offers a clue to the identity of the animal depicted above it. “I have scales and a toothy smile. / Just don’t call me crocodile.” Below the rhyme is the animal’s identity: ALLIGATOR. Each page features one animal illustrated in brightly colored paints set against contrasting backgrounds. Textures resembling sponge-paintings add visual interest. Many of the creatures are familiar, but others are unusual, making the guessing-game aspect hard for preschoolers: C for chameleon; J for jaguar; N for numbat; Q for quetzal; R for raven. Unfortunately, two of the animals are imaginary, which disrupts the overall formulation. U is for unicorn and X for “xylophonius”: “Made-up creatures are so much fun. / Give it a try! Can you make one?” As the book lacks backmatter, the only key to identifying the animal is in the rhyme.
Pfister has a following, so adults who recognize his name will likely be drawn to the (hologram-free) artwork. Others may want to choose from among the more classic animal ABCs. (Alphabet book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4136-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: July 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2013
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