Between portraits of a griffin, cockatrice, and other portmanteau creatures from world folklore, DuQuette sandwiches a dozen big, precisely detailed, fanciful hybrids of his own, from a furred-and-feathered “Cooster” (cow rooster) perched on a—fortunately sturdy—fence rail, to a coterie of fluffy pink “Squoodles” (squid poodle) drifting elegantly through turquoise waters. Each creation comes with pocket-sized portraits of its antecedents, plus a rib-tickling rhymed caption: combine a parrot with a gorilla, and, “ ‘Parilla wants a banana.’ / ‘Parilla wants a bunch.’ / And then he wants your breakfast, / and then he wants your lunch!” Taking Ellen Stern’s pedestrian I Saw a Bullfrog (2003) to the next level, each visual element here blends smoothly, ingeniously, into the next. Not only does this make an inviting lead-in to Peter Sís’s similar flights of fancy in Jack Prelutsky’s Scranimals (2002), but may well induce young viewers to take up DuQuette’s invitation, and craft a few “mythical” animals of their own. (Picture book. 7-11)
Pub Date: March 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-399-23889-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good questing novel for readers seeking a simple, lighthearted adventure.
Three children set out on a quest to prove they can be heroes.
Bartok, a 12-year-old Black boy, was nicknamed Fart by the master he apprentices under after choosing Gas Attack as his first spell to learn. He wants to be an exalted mage instead of an average human. Fart and his group—Pan Silversnow, Moxie Battleborne, and their respective masters—are only three months into a yearlong journey. They must prove they can survive the wilderness of the Fourteen Realms while helping others and defeating evildoers in order to graduate from Krakentop Academy for Heroes. When the masters are obliterated before their very eyes, Moxie and Pan are ready to head back to the academy, but Fart insists that they should use the opportunity to demonstrate their bravery. After taking their masters’ belongings, the trio defeat a hobgoblin then set off in search of heroic escapades. Chaos ensues as the group comes up against giant bees, ogres, and other mythical creatures. Though the story is told from Fart’s perspective, Moxie and Pan are just as important as the three learn to work as a team and recognize each other’s strengths. The humorous writing, wacky names, lively, cartoonlike illustrations, and simple text will especially appeal to reluctant readers. Pan is an elf who is cued as Asian; Moxie is a dwarf who appears White.
A good questing novel for readers seeking a simple, lighthearted adventure. (map) (Fantasy. 8-11)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-20636-7
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
A surreal undersea adventure that zigs and zags to a satisfying close.
When his astronaut mom crashes into the ocean, a boy bravely dons a diving suit and descends to the rescue.
In this work, originally published as a webcomic, the undersea expedition plays out episodically over several chapters interspersed with prompts (“Turn the page to jump into the hole”) to draw readers into the action, with sudden twists abounding. Frequently wordless and simply drawn cartoon panels colored primarily in blues against a solid black background depict Dave descending at the end of a very long air hose, eventually finding the spacecraft guarded by an apparent sea monster. The fishy local residents dub the creature the “Big Doom.” Dave switches bodies with a red octopus and experiences hallucinatory visions, only to discover that his errant parent has brought a problematic guest back from her space travels. Led by Amos, a friendly “scavenger and entre-pruner” with a shrimplike head and a distinctly canine shark sidekick, the anthropomorphic (if ambiguous of species) supporting cast provides help and comic relief along the way. While the plot sometimes turns out to be a bit hard to follow, Grover does eventually contrive a reasonably tidy resolution. Dave and his loving mom have paper-white skin and black hair.
A surreal undersea adventure that zigs and zags to a satisfying close. (Graphic science fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781250331038
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
© Copyright 2025 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.
