This agreeable story may well send its readers in search of the classic that was its inspiration.
A new chapter-book series builds on the familiar world of Marguerite Henry’s Misty of Chincoteague (1947).
When their family moves to the Virginia shore, Willa and Ben get a longed-for pet, New Cat, help a pony adapt to its new home on their grandmother’s farm, and find new friends. This first title sets the stage, introducing the characters and setting in today’s Chincoteague, where the Dunlaps hope to open a restaurant and bed-and-breakfast. The move is difficult for both children; quiet Ben is shy, and Willa misses her friends. Sarah, a neighbor, seems standoffish, at first. Starbuck, born on Assateague Island across the channel and purchased at the annual pony auction by its previous owner, is not yet ready to be placed with the other ponies on their grandparents’ farm, so the two children spend a lot of time with her. Earhart, author of two previous series about horses, Big Apple Barn and Breyer Stablemates, is comfortable providing the details of horse care young readers enjoy. Her gentle, third-person narrative is written in short paragraphs with plenty of dialogue. There will be frequent illustrations (final art not seen) and Misty Inn sequels to come; Volume 2, Buttercup Mystery, publishes simultaneously.
This agreeable story may well send its readers in search of the classic that was its inspiration. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: June 16, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4814-1414-2
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2015
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look...
Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.
Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58536-688-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
A charming contemporary story with a classic feel.
A 10 ¾-year-old girl weathers changes in her social circle—and her sense of self.
Dubbed “Queen of the Neighborhood” by beloved neighbor Mr. Chapman, who has sadly left Maryland for balmy Florida, Zara is apprehensive when a family with two kids moves into his house, potentially upsetting the delicate social balance. Readers familiar with Khan’s Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream books, set a few years after this series opener, will recognize the bustling Pakistani American Muslim household. Assertive, organized Zara and rambunctious 7-year-old Zayd live with their Mama and Baba; the siblings’ grandparents and uncle are integral parts of their daily lives. Zara and Zayd enjoy playing outside with their friends—Black sisters Jade and Gloria, White Alan, and Chinese American Melvin. Mr. Chapman always said that Zara knew how to “rule with grace and fairness,” but new arrivals Naomi and Michael, Jewish kids who are eager to engage socially, put this to the test. When Jamal Mamoo, Mama’s brother, brings over his Guinness World Records book, Zara decides that becoming a world-record holder is the boost her social status needs. Her humorous (and futile) attempts to make her mark ultimately lead her to being a more patient and understanding big sister and more flexible and supportive companion to friends old and new. Strong pacing, fluid prose, engaging hijinks, and heartwarming scenes of family life and outdoor play are complemented by expressive illustrations.
A charming contemporary story with a classic feel. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: April 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-9759-7
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
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