The cycle of generations in an African village: A little boy who enjoys a toothless old man's stories asks, ``Were you ever a little boy?'' and is incredulous when he's told that ``Inside this old, old man...lives a very little boy.'' Time passes, and he lives to give his own grandson the same answer to the same question, and hear him respond with the same laughter. The story's universality is reinforced by its sparing use of detail— a technique echoed in Shaffer's powerful illustrations, presenting her sensitively portrayed characters against simple backdrops of warm earth, pale sky, and an occasional hut. Fine debuts for both author and artist. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1992
ISBN: 0-689-31735-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1992
Fragility is a hippo and as such, she is “a solid piece of work,” but her feelings are as soft as tofu. A rude comment would sink her faster than a couple pair of cement boots, but she also could read insults in a compliment: “Nice? Do you know what else is nice? Cupcakes are nice. So you’re comparing me to a squishy cupcake.” Boo-hoo. Such a delicate flower comes across as delightfully mirthful in Lester’s tale, though not the consequences of her behavior: The other animals avoid her. Then one day—out of nowhere, really, and it’s not the story’s strong suit—Fragility stands up to the insults of an elephant, who threatens their ball game, without nervous collapse. Fortunately, Munsinger’s illustrations prop up this teetery tale with a brace of good cheer and well-tempered comedy. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2004
ISBN: 0-618-41082-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Walter Lorraine/Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A simple narrative celebrating a child's pleasure in a sugar maple—its prepurchase history, its changing appearance during the year, planting, growth—is extended with excellent notes on the tree's parts as well as lucid instructions for planting and caring for it. In her handsome collages, Ehtert blends bold graphics, vibrant colors, and laudably precise details (e.g., of maple flowers and roots). An outstanding example of early nonfiction that is not only visually striking but also informative and scrupulously accurate. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-15-266197-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1991
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