Careless editing undercuts the authority and usefulness of a children’s book on bullying.
Griffin the Dragon deals with a school bully in the latest children’s book about him.
Mask’s (Griffin the Dragon and Healthy Eating Habits for Kids, 2014, etc.) fourth illustrated book about Griffin has an unabashed anti-bullying message. Set in an imaginary future United States, when humans go to school with aliens and talking animals, it involves Griffin and his friends: a hyena named Jackson and two humans, 8-year-old Cattails, a boy, and 10-year-old Alexandra. As summer vacation begins, the friends disagree about whether to visit a “jump house” or “bounce house,” terms that are neither explained nor pictured but may refer to an inflatable structure resembling the Bouncy Castles that many parents rent for children’s parties. The friends bicker, banter and roughhouse, all in good fun. Suddenly, a large alienlike bully joins them. The friends fail to defuse the bully’s aggressive moves with words, actions, threats and an offer of friendship. Finally, when the bully takes a swing at Griffin, the dragon burps flames that singe the bully’s shoes. The group celebrates when the bully leaves, but Griffin’s dad has seen the incident and grounds his child for three weeks. When the punishment ends, the friends discover that Griffin has befriended the bully and taught him to read. This resolution exemplifies the simplistic themes of the book—that bullies never win and that they “need love”—but offers no practical tips on how children should interact with bullies if, for example, they lack the ability or desire to teach them a skill. The text and the art both work hard to be attractive, with a child-friendly tone and cartoon-style drawings. But the text has cultural references and vocabulary words likely to challenge its young readers, including “surreal,” “comedic” and “postured.” And some illustrations are confusing or don’t match the text—the eyes of Griffin’s father are said to be blue until he gets angry, but they are clearly purple. The book also has many spelling and punctuation errors, such as “responed” for responded, “knells” for kneels, and “winn” for win.” All of this will limit the appeal of the book even for the most ardent supporters of its message of nonviolence, such as school anti-bullying programs.
Careless editing undercuts the authority and usefulness of a children’s book on bullying.Pub Date: July 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4566-2331-9
Page Count: 96
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Oct. 3, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The seemingly ageless Seeger brings back his renowned giant for another go in a tuneful tale that, like the art, is a bit sketchy, but chockful of worthy messages. Faced with yearly floods and droughts since they’ve cut down all their trees, the townsfolk decide to build a dam—but the project is stymied by a boulder that is too huge to move. Call on Abiyoyo, suggests the granddaughter of the man with the magic wand, then just “Zoop Zoop” him away again. But the rock that Abiyoyo obligingly flings aside smashes the wand. How to avoid Abiyoyo’s destruction now? Sing the monster to sleep, then make it a peaceful, tree-planting member of the community, of course. Seeger sums it up in a postscript: “every community must learn to manage its giants.” Hays, who illustrated the original (1986), creates colorful, if unfinished-looking, scenes featuring a notably multicultural human cast and a towering Cubist fantasy of a giant. The song, based on a Xhosa lullaby, still has that hard-to-resist sing-along potential, and the themes of waging peace, collective action, and the benefits of sound ecological practices are presented in ways that children will both appreciate and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-689-83271-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
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