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THE CRAZY FRIEND

Name: THE CRAZY FRIEND
Author: Kim Kane
ISBN: 978-1-5158-1953-0

From the Ginger Green, Playdate Queen series

by Kim Kane ; illustrated by Jon Davis ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2018

Sweet, fun, and a little flawed.

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In Kane and Davis’ (The New Friend, 2016) second collaboration, play-date queen Ginger Green invites an unconventional friend over, and she has regrets immediately.

Seven-year-old fox Ginger takes great pride in her play-date setups, and she is excited for the next one with classmate Maisy. Almost immediately, though, Ginger is on the back foot as Maisy gets up to some unexpected antics: overexcited doorbell-ringing, enthusiastic nudity, and reckless roof-climbing chief among them. Ginger (not to mention her mother) is flummoxed at first but soon becomes angry—not the best mood for a play date. After Maisy returns to the ground and both have had some soothing lemonade, the girls do a few handstands and flips, and Ginger remembers that she loves her friend precisely because she always does the unexpected. Adding a dash of drama and danger to the social dilemma of playing hostess the series explores, this chapter book navigates the complex maze of developing friendships and the negotiation of compatibility. Uncluttered, grayscale illustrations provide cues without becoming distracting for new readers. That said, readers turned off by discriminatory terms such as “crazy” (used sparingly but significantly here) or notions that difference is linked to danger may want to try a different installment of the series.

Sweet, fun, and a little flawed. (Chapter book. 6-8)

Pub Date: April 1, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-5158-1953-0

Page Count: 64

Publisher: Picture Window Books

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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RUNNING SHOES

by Frederick Lipp & illustrated by Jason Gaillard ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2008

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Sophy and her mother live in an isolated Cambodian village. When the numbers man—the man who counts how many people live in the village—arrives, he realizes that her father has recently died, and noticing how she gazes at his sneakers, he decides to give her a gift: running shoes. He doesn’t know it, but now Sophy can go to school, even though it is a long journey from her village, because the shoes will protect her. After her mother gives permission, Sophy takes off—and meets with a group of male students who are not very happy to find a girl in their midst. But the teacher is kind and after a running race proves her prowess, Sophy is accepted. When the numbers man returns the following year, Sophy has learned enough to give him a gift of her own. Straightforward and accessible, this tale provides a memorable picture both of life in Cambodia and of one girl’s struggle to obtain an education. Gaillard’s realistic illustrations add a quiet, lyrical touch. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2008

ISBN: 978-1-58089-175-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2008

Categories:

GENERAL FICTION | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ELLRAY JAKES WALKS THE PLANK

From the EllRay Jakes series

by Sally Warner & illustrated by Jamie Harper ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2012

The EllRay Jakes stories are just right for his real-life peers; short enough to be read by kids getting comfortable with...

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The third installment in this series about third-grader with a penchant for "messing up" (EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken, 2011, etc.) revisits an unfortunately evergreen theme from the first book: bullying.

This time, EllRay's misguided, although goodhearted, decision to allow his 4-year-old sister, Alfie, to help take care of the class fish that he's housing over spring break results in Zip's death, and troubles cascade from there. Distracted, EllRay forgets to bring in Treasure Island, the class read-aloud he's borrowed, and his classmates begin to get angry. To make matters worse, mean girl Cynthia Harbison continually tries to pin her transgressions (cheating at a playground game; a classroom shoving match) on EllRay, since "You're already the kid in our class who messes up." With some subtle support from Ms. Sanchez and the principal, EllRay manages to deliver the message to Cynthia that he won't be a patsy. As in previous series entries, EllRay is likable and his problems believable; again, the ending is a bit pat but satisfying nonetheless. Drama about Alfie's friendship woes in preschool parallels the main story but is less successful; Alfie's voice is unrealistically mature for a 4-year-old.

The EllRay Jakes stories are just right for his real-life peers; short enough to be read by kids getting comfortable with chapter booksand also enjoyable and authentic. (Fiction. 6-8)