The only thing better than reading about this full day of play is having one in real life.
Two children use pets, toys, and props to create an imaginary world of endless scope and possibilities.
“Once upon a time,” a brown-skinned girl with puffy hair is playing happily in a crystal castle (pillow fort) with her (stuffed) animal friends, when…“dun dun DUH!” A dragon comes (a pet terrier), accompanied by a pale-skinned boy wearing magician’s clothing. The dragon breathes fire and destroys the girl’s castle. But—“Ta-Da!”—the girl uses her wand to “turn the dragon into a kind dragon,” and off they fly together. But then (“dun dun DUH!”) the boy becomes a pirate and takes the girl and the dragon prisoners. Then the girl escapes and takes “an island vacation.” The boy’s “dun dun DUH!” plot twists and the girl’s “Ta-Da!” solutions alternate (as does the typeface) until the boy walks away, disappointed. After living happily for a while with her dragon, the girl goes to check on the boy, who has become a magician ready to put on a show. She helps him by providing an audience of stuffed animals and joining the show, then they run to the kitchen for a snack (“Ta-Da!”), continuing to imagine treasures and underwater adventures together. The bold, expressive illustrations blend the children’s real world with their imaginary worlds, creating a lively display on the page.
The only thing better than reading about this full day of play is having one in real life. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: June 26, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4521-4513-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)
The town of Sunnyview got a little bit safer when 8-year-old Eugene McGillicudy moved in.
Just like his comic-book mentor, Super Dude, Eugene, aka Captain Awesome, is on a one-man mission is to save the world from supervillains, like the nefarious “Queen Stinkypants from Planet Baby.” Just as Eugene suspected, plenty of new supervillains await him at Sunnyview Elementary. Are Meredith Mooney and the mind-reading Ms. Beasley secretly working together to try and force Eugene to reveal his secret identity? Will Principal Brick Foot succeed in throwing Captain Awesome into the “Dungeon of Detention?” Fortunately, Eugene isn’t forced to go it alone. Charlie Thomas Jones, fellow comic-book lover and Super Dude fan, stands ready and willing to help. When the class hamster goes missing, Captain Awesome must don his cape and, with the help of his new best friend, ride to the rescue. Kirby’s funny and engaging third-person narration and O’Connor’s hilarious illustrations make the book easily accessible and enormously appealing, particularly to readers who have recently graduated to chapter books. But it is the quirky, mischievous Eugene that really makes this book special. His energy and humor are contagious, and his dogged commitment to his superhero alter ego is enough to make anyone a believer.
As Captain Awesome would say, this kid is “MI-TEE!” (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4090-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
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