While this effort is a thoughtful and well-meaning introduction to the use of therapy dogs for children in this situation,...
This Canadian import focuses on Iggy, a therapy dog who assists children in a program in Toronto as they participate in investigations of child abuse.
Iggy is a black Lab with soulful, brown eyes and a gentle demeanor. He is called a “facility dog” at the social services program where he works. The dog and his handler meet with children who are victims of child abuse, accompanying the children when they testify in court or when they meet with police officers or doctors. The sensitively written text does not specifically address instances of abuse but instead refers to children speaking about “what happened to you” and the difficulty of testifying in court near “the person I didn’t want to see or talk in front of.” While Iggy is a real dog, the children in the photographs illustrating the story are models portraying the victims of child abuse. The children are of different ethnicities and range in age from preschool to high school age. The first-person text is rather confusing at first, as it is written as though one specific child is the narrator. However, the illustrations show many different children as the story progresses, with each one contributing to the narrative.
While this effort is a thoughtful and well-meaning introduction to the use of therapy dogs for children in this situation, it’s probably best suited to specific use in programs similar to Iggy’s. (author’s note) (Informational picture book. 4-10)Pub Date: April 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77260-084-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Second Story Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
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The poetry here is well-done, and although there is no real topical or stylistic cohesion, the assortment offers something...
This collection of 20 poems inspired by the poet’s volunteer work in a kindergarten lunchroom is united by authorship; entries address a variety of topics and are expressed in multiple styles.
The subject matter is generally accessible and of interest, including family vignettes (“The Snow Is Melting”), feelings (“afterschool”), animals (“a spider way of thinking,” “Owl Secrets”), and toys (“My Cars Never Sleep”). Length and format vary too: “Little Yellow House” is only nine words long; others have several stanzas. Not all utilize traditional capitalization and punctuation. Some layouts are straightforward, left-justified and single- or double-spaced; others feature irregular spaces between lines or between phrases on the same line but are not quite concrete poetry. Figurative language is especially effective in “The Envelope,” a litany of ways a child thinks of their mother. Most read well out loud, with appropriate scansion and without the pitfall of forced rhyme. Derby’s sophisticated illustrations, done in watercolor, digital collage, and India ink, have a subdued tone and leave room for the imagination; some are simple, small vignettes on white space, while others feature gently washy backgrounds.
The poetry here is well-done, and although there is no real topical or stylistic cohesion, the assortment offers something for readers with varying preferences. (Picture book/poetry. 6-9)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77306-095-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A good way to introduce the youngest readers to extended narratives in verse.
A puppy gets a new home and a new family while learning to communicate.
When 7-year-old Jace receives a new pet dog, he picks out the perfect name for a puppy who believes he is a poet. “We’ll name you ‘Thinker,’ yes, I think / that that’s the name for you.” Jace, too, is a poet. “When I recite my poems, / I make music.” Not permitted to attend school with Jace, Thinker spends time at home with Jace’s little sister, Kimmy, and visits with his twin, who lives nearby. At last, it’s “Pets’ Day at school,” but Jace doesn’t want his poet puppy to speak. As Thinker knows, he’s afraid “his friends will say / he’s a weird kid, with a weird pet.” Despite his best effort not to, Thinker recites a poem—but all the other pets join in with their own special talents, to the delight of the teacher, students, and even Jace. Greenfield brings her vast experience to this delightful piece of poetic whimsy that celebrates the powers of poetry, family, and friendship. Jace’s family is African-American while neighbors and schoolmates are pictured as diverse. The poems are primarily free verse, but there are haiku and rap as well. Iranian illustrator Abdollahi uses expressive handmade and -colored paper collages to complement the mood. The light and liveliness of the pictures are eye-catching and appealing, and the color palette is warm and rich, further enhancing the poetry.
A good way to introduce the youngest readers to extended narratives in verse. (Picture book/poetry. 4-8)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-7724-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Jan. 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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